The Ripon Consolidated Fire District marked a major milestone on Thursday, July 10, 2025, celebrating the advancement of firefighter/EMT Marcus Rivas to firefighter/paramedic. The special ceremony highlighted the department’s ongoing commitment to professional development and public safety.

Rivas recently completed a rigorous paramedic training program through the San Joaquin County EMS Agency in partnership with NCTI. The course included ten months of classroom instruction, 168 hours of hospital clinical experience, and 480 hours of field internship with Manteca District Ambulance, according to Battalion Chief Pat Burns.

Throughout his training, the district ensured Rivas’s shifts were covered, allowing him to return to the station and finish his duties after classes. The district invested about $17,000 in Rivas’s training, bringing the total number of paramedics in the department to seven.

Rivas joined the Ripon department in May 2023 from Salida Fire, originally serving as a firefighter/EMT.

The Thursday event also saw the promotion of Chad Cheek to Captain. Cheek steps into the role vacated by former Captain Josh Bodeson, who recently joined Mountain View Fire.

Additionally, the district welcomed Colby O’Brien, who was sworn in as the newest firefighter/paramedic. O’Brien, who comes from American Medical Response in Stanislaus, will participate in the district’s in-house academy as he settles into his new post.

The ceremony underscored Ripon Fire’s focus on growing its team and reinforcing emergency response capabilities for the community.