Board of directors
The Truckee Fire Protection District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, each elected to serve a four-year term. Registered voters within the District boundaries are eligible to run for office. Board members are sometimes appointed to special committees and as representatives to other Boards.
Board of Director Ethics AB1234 Training Certificates
Board of Director Harassment Prevention AB1661 Training Certificates
Meet the board of Directors
Chairperson Gary Botto, first elected to the Fire District Board of Directors in 2014.
Director Botto has lived in the Truckee area for forty years. He graduated from California State University Sacramento with a BS in accounting, after which he worked as an auditor for the State of California. He has also worked in construction, and as a small business owner. He retired from the Truckee Fire Protection District, as battalion chief, after 30 years of service.
In addition to serving on the Truckee Fire District Board of Directors, Director Botto was a member of the first Truckee Town Council. His vision for Truckee Fire is to continue the high standards of service to the public, to ensure the best training for all personnel, and to maintain fiscal responsibilitty and transparency to the community.
Director Botto can be reached at garybotto@truckeefire.org
Director Victor Hernandez, first elected to the Fire District Board of Directors in 2010.
Director Hernandez moved to Truckee in 1997 after living on the west shore of Lake Tahoe since since 1978. Victor has been teaching EMT Basic courses at the Sierra College Truckee Campus since 1995 and retired from North Tahoe Fire Protection District in 2009 after working there for twenty-three years. During his time living in the Tahoe area, Director Hernandez also worked at Homewood Ski Area (1981-1989), North Lake Pediatrics (1988-2002), and for the US Forest Service (1981-1985).
Although not having any previous political experience, Director Hernandez has held positions on numerous committees throughout his career in the Fire Service and Emergency Medical Careers.
Director Hernandez can be reached at victorhernandez@truckeefire.org
Director Gerald Herrick previously served as a member of the Truckee Fire Protection District board for 4 years between 2010-2014 and was re-elected to the Board in 2016. Gerald has served his community in a number of roles including the annual Truckee Clean-up Day, the Truckee Tahoe Airport Citizen Advisory Team, the Tahoe Forest Hospital Measure C Oversight Committee, and is a founding member of the Citizens Committee examining the Placer County property tax distribution issue. He has also served as President of the Ponderosa Ranchos HOA and is a member of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Truckee.
Gerald served 40 years as a public-school teacher, principal, and in administrative positions at the central office level in several school districts in California. He also served as a seasonal U.S.F.S. firefighter and volunteer firefighter while previously living in South Lake Tahoe.
During his terms on the Board he has served as the Chairperson and on special committees including the Finance Committee and the Martis Valley Tax Committee. During his tenure the District has implemented important administrative, fire prevention and operational initiatives including a smooth transition of Fire Chiefs, SDLF Transparency Certificate, Community Wildfire Prevention Plan, a 5 year Strategic Plan, large fuels management program that has won millions of dollars of grant funds, updating of the fleet with four new and refurbished fire engines, new ambulances and a rescue boat, additional staffing to enhance services and District wide informational technology updates. Gerald was the driving force behind the Districts Martis Valley Tax Initiative that was passed by the Placer County Board of Supervisors in the Fall of 2019 after almost 10 years of work and persistence.
Gerald takes his role as a member of the Truckee Fire Protection District Board seriously and will ensure that the Truckee Fire Protection District continues to deliver the outstanding service that it is known to provide. Gerald believes citizen involvement in their public agencies is absolutely essential. He encourages residents to contact him if they have any questions or concerns.
Director Herrick can be reached via e-mail at geraldherrick@truckeefire.org
Vice-Chairperson Erin Prado was appointed to the Truckee Fire Protection District Board in September 2017, and elected to the Board in 2018.
Director Prado was born in Redwood City, Ca and moved to Tahoe City in 1984. She attended Tahoe Lake Elementary and North Tahoe High School. After high school, she moved to Del Mar, CA and attended the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach. She worked as the Event Coordinator and Marketing Manager for two TS Restaurants from 2002-2013. Her family's Italian restaurant brought her back to Truckee where she currently manages.
During her tenure the District has implemented important administrative, fire prevention and operational initiatives including a large fuels management program that has won millions of dollars of grant funds, updating of the fleet with four new and refurbished fire engines, new ambulances and a rescue boat, additional staffing to enhance services, District wide informational technology updates, an annual balanced budget and positive annual financial audits. The Martis Valley Tax Initiative was passed by the Placer County Board of Supervisors in the Fall of 2019 after almost 10 years of work and persistence by the Board and staff.
Director Prado understands the responsibilities for the continued success of the District, including respecting and keeping with the transparency and accountability already in place. As a restaurant manager, she understands the financial aspect of running a business and those skills will additionally allow her to practice ethical and effective ways to run the District.
Director Prado can be reached at erinprado@truckeefire.org
Director Paul Wilford, first elected to the Fire District Board of Directors in 2010.
Originally from Southern California, Director Wilford moved to Truckee in 1975, via Reno, NV. From 1972 to 1980, Paul worked as a seasonal Ski Patrolman in the winter and as a seasonal Firefighter for the USFS. In 1981, he began working for the Nevada Division of Forestry as a Firefighter and eventually promoted to Fire Captain. Paul retired from the Sierra Fire Protection District as a Fire Captain in 2008.
Although not having any previous political experience, Director Wilford has held positions on numerous committees throughout his career in the Fire Service.
Director Wilford can be reached at paulwilford@truckeefire.org