Fire Chief Samuel Klemek
Chief Klemek is a 34 -year veteran of the fire service in Monterey County, 24-years of which have been with the Salinas Fire Department (SFD). He has served in multiple capacities with the SFD including Firefighter/Paramedic and Battalion Chief / Fire Marshal prior to his promotion to Deputy Fire Chief. He holds an Associate’s degree in Fire Science, a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration and is a state certified Chief Fire Officer. Chief Klemek also holds certifications from the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy and serves as the current President of the Monterey County Fire Chief's Association.
Overview of Administration & Support Staffing
Fire department staffing is typically divided into two distinct groups: 1) administration and support and 2) operations. The administration and support group usually provides oversight and support to the operations group. This support provides emergency response personnel with the tools needed to deliver effective services to the community it serves. The operations group provides the necessary resources to perform emergency and nonemergency services to the community.
Planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating each of the various programs within a fire department are typical responsibilities of the administration and support personnel. This list is not exhaustive and may include other elements.
Ten full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and two part-time equivalent (PTE) employees provide support and administrative services to the SFD. The Fire Chief is the SFD’s top executive leader and reports directly to the City Manager. The Deputy Chief is number two in succession and reports to the Fire Chief.
Administration Organizational Chart
Hours of Operation
Most of the administrative staff operate during regular business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Phone Number: 831-758-7261
Email Address: FireAdministration@ci.salinas.ca.us
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Shane VanderVeen- Deputy Fire Chief
Deputy Chief Shane VanderVeen has proudly served the Salinas Fire Department since 2006, bringing nearly two decades of experience, leadership, and dedication to the organization. After beginning his career on August 7, 2006, he quickly rose through the ranks—promoted to Fire Captain in 2015, Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services in 2023, and most recently to Deputy Fire Chief on January 20, 2025. A seasoned paramedic, Deputy Chief VanderVeen brings a wealth of operational knowledge and a commitment to excellence that continues to shape the department’s future. In his role as head of operations, he oversees the daily management of firefighting personnel and resources, while also leading efforts in emergency response, training, and community outreach. Known for his professionalism, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication to public service, Deputy Chief VanderVeen remains a driving force in advancing the department’s mission to protect lives and property across the City of Salinas.
Services Provided by SFD
The Salinas Fire Department is an all-hazards public safety organization providing traditional fire suppression, prevention, aircraft rescue, firefighting, wildland firefighting, Type I HazMat response team, and medical first-response (MFR) at the Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) levels. Special operations at SFD include participation in the regional hazmat response team and provides services to San Benito County via a memorandum of understanding and the provision of Tactical Paramedics (SWAT) in support of the Salinas Police Department.
Operation's Organizational Chart
The Fire Chief is the SFD’s top executive leader and reports directly to the City Manager. The Deputy Chief is number two in succession and reports to the Fire Chief. The Training Battalion Chief reports to the Deputy Chief, and the Fire Marshal reports to the Fire Chief. SFD operates with civilian administrative support staff responsible for critical tasks, including providing clerical, financial, records management, and customer service support for SFD. In the FY 2023 budget, an additional administrative captain position was funded.
Operations Staffing
Personnel assigned to operations (suppression) conduct various duties relating to emergency and non-emergency responses. In addition to response, personnel assigned to operations conduct various internal and external tasks to support the mission.
SFD deploys a three-person engine company from each of its six fire stations. In addition, a three-person (four when staffing allows) truck company (100-foot tractor drawn aerial) and Battalion Chief are housed at Station 1. A second 100-foot aerial truck company with three-person minimum staffing is located at Station 5. Various reserve apparatuses are distributed among each of the fire stations. All front line staffed apparatus includes a minimum of one Paramedic (any rank) and are furnished with Advanced Life Support supplies and equipment.
Operations Staff Allocation
SFD has an operational staffing level of 0.58 Firefighters per 1,000 population served. This figure is based on the January 1, 2022, population estimate of 159,932 from the California Department of Finance. In comparison to the national average and western region, as referenced within the US Fire Department Profile (2020), SFD staffing levels are well below the national median (1.2) and the western region median (0.97). The following figure is a comparison of firefighters per 1,000 in population protected.
