FOLSOM—The City of Folsom has named longtime fire service veteran Jason Solak as interim fire chief, effective October 7, following the retirement of Fire Chief Ken Cusano. The appointment was announced Monday by City Manager Bryan Whitemyer.
Solak steps into the role with more than three decades of fire service and leadership experience. He most recently served as deputy fire chief with the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, where he spent 25 years overseeing operations, training, and emergency response readiness.
His career began with the U.S. Forest Service before continuing with the Rocklin and Benicia fire departments. Since 2003, Solak has also been a task force leader and heavy rigging specialist with FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team California Task Force 4, deploying nationwide to major disaster recovery operations. In addition, he serves as an adjunct instructor at Las Positas College and is a registered instructor with the State of California in multiple fire and rescue disciplines.
“Chief Solak brings a wealth of experience, strong leadership, and steady guidance to the department during this transition,” Whitemyer said. “He leads with integrity and professionalism and is deeply committed to protecting the safety and well-being of the Folsom community.”
A Folsom resident for more than 20 years, Solak and his wife, Dawn, moved to the city in 2001 and raised their two children, Jake and Brianna, in the Empire Ranch neighborhood.
“It’s an honor and privilege to serve the community I’ve called home for more than two decades,” Solak said. “The Folsom Fire Department has a proud legacy of service and excellence. Together, we’ll continue to uphold that tradition and deliver the highest level of public safety services to our residents.”
Founded in 1857, the Folsom Fire Department provides full-service emergency medical response, fire suppression, water and technical rescue, hazardous materials response, prevention, and public education programs. Today the department serves a population of approximately 92,577 residents across 30 square miles of eastern Sacramento County.
For more information about the Folsom Fire Department, visit www.folsom.ca.us/fire.
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