LOCAL CREWS. ALWAYS READY.

It’s hard to believe that I’ve now been serving as Fire Chief 
of South Placer Fire District for six months.

Over the past several months, one of my biggest priorities has been getting out into the community — meeting residents, business owners, community partners, and hearing directly from the people we serve. I’ve appreciated every conversation, every question, and every opportunity to learn more about what matters most to this community and what you expect from your fire district. At the same time, I’ve spent a great deal of time with our firefighters, emergency medical responders, and professional staff. Building a strong culture, improving morale, and reinforcing pride within the organization are essential to the future of SPFD. One of the highlights of these past six months was celebrating our recent Change of Command Ceremony — an important tradition that honors leadership, service, and the commitment our personnel make to this community every day.

What I’ve seen firsthand is this: SPFD has accomplished a tremendous amount with very limited resources.

Competitive grants helped keep stations open and emergency medical responders on the road. Smarter billing practices brought hundreds of thousands of dollars back into operations. Costs were reduced where possible. But the reality is — those solutions are not permanent. Without stable, local funding, more difficult choices could be ahead — choices that may impact how quickly firefighters and emergency medical responders can get to you when every second matters.

Our responsibility is to continue being transparent with the community, good stewards of taxpayer resources, and focused on providing the highest level of emergency response possible. I remain committed to listening, building trust, and working together to ensure South Placer Fire District can continue protecting this community today and for the future.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Darin Snedeker

Fire Chief

CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY: RECAP

On February 25, the friends and families of South Placer Fire District gathered at the Blue Goose Event Center to celebrate a proud milestone: the Change of Command, honoring the district's tradition of service and its enduring commitment to the communities of Loomis and Granite Bay.


The event was hosted by Masters of Ceremony Deputy Chief Matt Slusher of the Placer Hills Fire Protection District and SPFD Public Relations representative Cherri Spriggs. The ceremony opened with a posting of colors by the 522 Honor Guard & Pipes and Drums, followed by a stirring rendition of the National Anthem performed by Lillyanna Kincheloe.



The heart of the ceremony centered on recognizing both outgoing and incoming leadership. Fire Chief Mark Duerr was honored for his dedicated service to the district, as the torch was passed to incoming Fire Chief Darin Snedeker. The occasion also marked the installation of several key leaders across the organization, including Deputy Chief of Operations Shawn Wolf, Division Chief Donavon Gray, and Battalion Chief Ben Majewski. Badge pinning and the Oath of Office — administered by County Supervisor Susan Jones — formalized each appointment, with the ceremony concluding with a traditional Tone-Out by Placer County Dispatch.



The South Placer Fire District thanks all who attended and extends its deepest gratitude to Chief Duerr for his years of leadership, while welcoming Chief Snedeker and the newly appointed command staff as they carry the district's mission forward.