Wellington Fire Protection District names new fire chief

Michael Patterson has been selected as the Wellington Fire Protection District's new fire chief, according to a news release from the department. 

Patterson has spent more than 30 years working in public safety, with the previous two and a half years as the executive chief and training academy manager for the Front Range Fire Consortium, overseeing training for the fire academy recruits and professional development programs for the group of 10 fire agencies along the Front Range. 

Patterson has lived within the Wellington Fire District for almost seven years, according to the department's news release. 

“As a resident of the district, I felt a calling to bring my knowledge, skills, and experience to serve the residents, visitors, businesses, and members of the fire district in any way possible," Patterson said in the news release. "I’m honored and grateful for this opportunity to continue the work that has been done thus far and look forward to the future.”

Patterson started his career in fire service in 1984 for the Brighton Fire Department. He returned to his home state of California to get his emergency medical services certification in 1991 and was hired the following year to provide fire, EMS and security services to IBM facilities in San Jose, California, according to the department's news release. 

He also worked as an on-call reserve firefighter for the South Santa Clara County Fire District starting in 1994 and completed his associate degree in fire science technology from Mission College in 1996. 

In 1997, Patterson started as a firefighter with the San Jose Fire Department. Over 20 years, he rose through the ranks and ultimately retired as the deputy chief of operations.

"While the service area and department are different than Wellington’s, my experiences at San Jose Fire Department exposed me to a wide range of routine and emergency incidents," Patterson said in the news release. "As Fire Chief, I can draw upon these experiences, helping us best deliver the vital services that our residents expect.”

The previous fire chief, Gary Green, retired in August after 33 years in fire and emergency services with nine of those years in Wellington, according to the department. 

“I'm extremely proud of everything we have accomplished at Wellington Fire. I attribute it all to a visionary Board of Directors, our courageous and dedicated firefighters and staff, and supportive community,” Green said in a September Facebook post. 

Patterson was one of two finalists for the position. 

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Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County government and more throughout Northern Colorado. You can send your story ideas to her at sswanson@coloradoan.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.