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Battalion Chief Aaron Watkins:

Battalion Chief Aaron Watkins is a lifelong resident of Amador County with over two decades of dedicated fire service experience in the region. He began his career in 2003 as a Volunteer Firefighter with the Sutter Creek Fire Protection District, where he served for ten years and was promoted to the rank of Fire Captain. His first full-time fire service position was with CAL FIRE (then known as the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) beginning in 2005.

In 2011, Chief Watkins joined the Amador Fire Protection District, where he has proudly served in every rank, from Firefighter to his current position as Battalion Chief. He is currently the A-Shift Commander and oversees several critical areas, including Standard Operating Guideline development, Mutual Aid Coordination, Pre-Incident Planning, and Technical Rescue Coordination. He is an active participant in California’s statewide mutual aid system, contributing to the broader emergency response community.

Chief Watkins holds an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science and maintains a range of incident command qualifications. He is also a certified instructor in numerous Fire, Hazardous Materials, and Technical Rescue courses. He resides in Sutter Creek with his wife of 13 years.

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Battalion Chief Rob Ebling:

Chief Ebling began his fire career as a part-time Firefighter with the City of Calistoga in 2006. Simultaneously, he worked for AMR Napa on a 9-1-1 EMS ambulance while attending and pursuing his Fire Technology degree through Santa Rosa College. His early opportunities led to valuable experience, knowledge, and the opportunity to be surrounded by leadership that created a solid foundation for his growth and development. He was hired as a full time Fire Engineer in 2013 with the Jackson Rancheria Fire Department, in 2015 he accepted a Fire Captain’s position with Amador Fire Protection District where he served 8 years as Captain and was promoted to the Battalion Chief rank in 2022. Chief Ebling leads Amador Fire’s Firefighter hiring process, oversees Amador Fire’s EMS program, assists with community events and is currently assigned to the daily operations on “B” shift. Chief Ebling is driven by the endless possibilities Amador Fire has to offer and the community support the district receives while serving the needs of Amador County. Chief Ebling credits the support from the firefighter’s and administration staff as being instrumental to his success.

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Battalion Chief Justin Yelinek:

Chief Yelinek grew up in Plymouth and started volunteering with Amador Fire in Plymouth in 2000. Justin then moved to Pioneer and continued as a volunteer with Amador Fire in the Pine Grove / Pioneer area. Chief Yelinek started his full-time career with Jackson Rancheria Fire Department in 2007 and was employed with the Jackson Rancheria Fire Department until 2015 when he left to work for Amador Fire Protection District full-time. Chief Yelinek is a confined space rescue technician, swift water rescue technician, and a California state instructor in various courses. Chief Yelinek resides in Jackson CA with his wife and three kids, who are all very active in the community. Chief Yelinek enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his kids in various sports and just watching them grow up. Chief Yelinek spends his time during the summer months going out on Strike teams throughout California. Justin has been with Amador Fire Protection District for 23 years as both Volunteer and Paid. Justin is currently assigned to C-Shift as a Battalion Chief.