As Chief Mark Hartwig nears his retirement, he is reluctant to take credit for any of the accomplishments that have occurred during his time leading the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
“I don’t take credit for anything that happened while I was here,” Hartwig said. “I like to say I was responsible for saying yes and signing checks.”
Hartwig joined the department in 2019 after serving as the fire chief for San Bernardino, where he began his career in 1992. He also worked as a battalion chief and deputy chief for the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District…