When Culver City Fire Chief David White first became a firefighter he was not driven by the desire to become the chief at a station: he simply wanted to serve the community.
“I just wanted a career in public service and I was strongly attracted to the fire service,” Chief White said. “The type of emergencies that they (fire fighters) respond to, the camaraderie at the stations, it’s just a close bond that firefighters have and it’s been great to be a community servant.”
Chief White is a 32-year-veteran in the field and has been with the Culver City Fire Department since 1988, after transferring in from the City of Los Angeles. White began his career at CCFD as a firefighter and step-by-step he earned his way to the position of Assistant Fire Chief before being appointed Interim Fire Chief in June.
“I got the job offer from Culver City and it was a no brainer because Culver City had a great reputation with their paramedic and firefighting program; so it was a no brainer to switch,” Chief White said. “It is where I wanted to be so acclimating to Culver City was a natural fit for me; it was a very professional fire department with a very engaged community. It is were I wanted to be and where I want to be.”
A career in firefighting was not something that a young Chief White thought much about and it wasn’t until one unique experience during his early years as a firefighter.
“My first job out of high school was the U.S. Forrest Service, so I went to work as a seasonal fire fighter,” Chief White said. “After very little training they put me on the engine and I responded to a pretty big fire after a week or so of getting the job. That fire was very dynamic; there were buildings burning and there was a lot going. I knew then that it was the type of career for me.”
Upon discovering hos love of fire service at the age of 18 as a consequence of his job with the U.S. Forrest Service, Chief White pursued his career with absolute commitment and passion. Chief White worked for the U.S. Forrest Service during four seasons, his first year on the engine company and his next three seasons on the hot-shot crew, but continued to attend school.
Soon Chief White would earn a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational studies and a Master of Science degree in emergency services administration from California State University at Long Beach. Chief White has also earned several California State Fire Service certifications, including Chief Officer, and he is a licensed paramedic.
Now as the man in charge of the department, Chief White is ready for the task of providing the type of leadership that will allow the department to continue thriving.
“There is always room for improvement,” Chief White said. “You can be excellent today and mediocre tomorrow. Culver City pioneered some things and we know first hand that we might be at the forefront today but that tomorrow that could be anybody else. To continue to improve we need to figure out ways of doing better and providing service better while adapting to our changing communities. Technology is changing and the expectations are changing so we constantly have to evolve with our community to evolve at a high level.”