Please join us in congratulating Captain Michael Riach on his retirement from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department on October 20, 2025, after 35 years of dedicated service.
Captain Riach started in 1988 with the U.S. Forest Service, followed by Alhambra Fire Department from 1989 to 2001. During this time, he took a 24-month hiatus for a Christian mission in Alberta, Canada.
In 2001, Captain Riach joined the Santa Barbara County Fire Department as a Firefighter. He was promoted to Engineer in 2003 and Fire Captain in 2007. In addition to these roles, Captain Riach served as a Paramedic and earned a Registered Nursing Degree in 2007…