Marc Martin began his second tour as chief of the Santa Ana Fire Department in November, 2007.

Chief Martin began his career as a firefighter with the Fullerton Fire Department in 1974. He spent 21 years in that department and was appointed chief in 1992. In 1995, Martin was appointed chief of the Santa Ana Fire Department where he spent the next eight years. He was an active member of the Orange County Fire Chiefs’ Association and spent seven years as a member of the board of directors, including one year as president.

After 29 years in the fire service, Chief Martin retired in 2003 and accepted the role of Coordinator for the Santa Ana College fire academy. During his college tenure he commanded 15 academy classes and assisted nearly 600 students in their quest to become firefighters.

After an absence of four years, the position of fire chief in Santa Ana became available and the city council granted Chief Martin an opportunity to rejoin an outstanding fire department.

Chief Martin is a native Californian born in the San Fernando Valley. He attended high school in Rowland Heights and graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a biology degree in 1973. He obtained an Associate degree in Paramedic Science from Santa Ana College and was inducted into the College’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 2002. He also graduated from the Command & Staff course at the National Fire Academy in Emmetsburg, Maryland.

Chief Martin and his wife live in a 100-year-old house in Placentia. His oldest daughter graduated from San Diego State University with a business degree and is currently a Fire Prevention Specialist in the Brea Fire Department. His other daughter graduated from The California School of Culinary Arts and is employed as a pastry chef at Zov’s Bistro in Tustin.