The city of Atascadero has appointed a new fire chief.
Current chief Casey Bryson will retire in September, after more than 26 years of dedicated service to Atascadero, and serving as fire chief since 2017. An internal recruitment process was conducted to identify the department’s next leader.
Battalion chief David J. Van Son has been selected, and will assume role of fire chief on September 19, 2026, following council confirmation. Van Son started his fire career with the Santa Barbara county hot shot crew; after working three fire seasons, he joined the United States air force, and has served as a battalion chief and captain in Montana. He joined Atascadero fire in 2021.
Chief Van Son said “I’m truly honored to step into this role and sincerely thank the city council and city manager Lewis for trusting me to continue leading Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services.”
