Fire Chief Gary Seidel

Fire Chief Gary Seidel comes to Hillsboro with twenty-six years of fire service experience as an Assistant Chief with the Los Angeles Fire Department. He has earned a Masters of Arts Degree in Business Administration and Organizational Development, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Biology, and an Associates Degree in Fire Science. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program.

In the emergency response arena he was an Operations Section Chief for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support Team at the World Trade Center, a Planning Section Chief at the Utah 2002 Winter Olympics for Park City Fire District, served as a Planning Section Chief for the Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 1, and was the lead fire service Investigator assigned by the United States Fire Administration at the Columbine High School Shooting.

He has been an Adjunct Instructor for the National Fire Academy in numerous fields, a Master Instructor in Swift Water and Technical Rope Rescue Programs, and a published fire service author. He is nationally recognized as a content expert and course developer in the fields of fire service emergency operations, command and control, weapons of mass destruction, fire investigation, swift water rescue, and urban search and rescue. He has been a keynote speaker at numerous conferences throughout the World.

Administrative Chief Dennis Ross

Administrative Chief Dennis Ross has been a member of the Hillsboro Fire Department since 1980. He graduated from Portland State University in 1990 with honors earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He also earned an Associate of Applied Science in 1992 from Portland Community College in Fire Protection Technology. Chief Ross rounds out his management experience with an additional 18 years of experience serving the community as a Firefighter and Lieutenant. Chief Ross currently participates in the Washington County Fire Defense Board as Secretary/ Treasurer and actively contributes to the management of fire protection resources throughout the County with this organization. The Administrative Chief oversees budgeting, human resource issues, public affairs, information and communications technologies.

During Chief Ross' service, the Department has undergone many changes. In August 2003, the Hillsboro Fire Department received a Class 2 rating from the Insurance Services Office (ISO). This top rating reflects the City’s success in providing fire safety to the community. A Class 2 rating places Hillsboro Fire Department in the top 1% of fire departments in the United States. In addition, a Class 2 rating ensures that residents may be able to receive lower fire insurance premiums. One of the reasons the Department was able to upgrade its rating was the level to which suppression and emergency medical services staffing are maintained.

Operations Greg Nelson

Operations Chief is a veteran Hillsboro firefighter.  He joined the organization in 1980 as a firefighter and rose through the ranks to his current position.  During that time, he developed firefighting protocols for high rise and large capacity building firefighting, managed the conflagration program that sends Hillsboro firefighters to assist with major wildland fires across the state, and trained recruit firefighters.  Chief Nelson now supervises all daily operations of the 78 response personnel. 

Fire Marshal John Rinier began his career in the fire service in 1988 as a volunteer and in 1991 joined the Hillsboro Fire Department as a Firefighter.  John then expanded his career into the Fire Prevention in 1996.  During this time, he performed fire and life safety inspections of commercial and residential buildings, reviewed fire protection system plans, conducted fire and cause investigations, and was instrumental in the development of the currently used inspection database.  For his experience and efforts, John was promoted to Deputy Fire Marshal position in 2004 and then Fire Marshal in 2005.

Fire Marshal Rinier, who holds an Associates Degree in Fire Science, is a member of the National Fire Protection Association, International Code Council, Oregon Fire Marshal Association, International Association of Arson Investigators, National Fire Sprinkler Association, and is involved in code development through the Oregon Fire Code Committee. As the Fire Marshal, he manages the Fire Prevention Division. The Fire Prevention Division consists of seven Fire Inspectors who provide coordinated delivery of fire and life safety services that include Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation.