David Marques is The City of Manteca’s Fire Chief

MANTECA, CALIF.  Manteca’s Fire Chief, David Marques, has been working for the City of Manteca for nearly three decades, since 1996.  “Back in the late ’90s, competition for firefighter jobs was so fierce that young firefighters like me would take the first job they were offered,” Marques recalls; however, I’ve stayed in Manteca because I truly love my job and the people I work with.”

Marques worked his way up through the ranks, serving as a Battalion Chief from 2011 until November 2021, when he was chosen as the City’s new Fire Chief.

Chief Marques began his career in the South Placer Fire District in 1991 as a Reserve Firefighter. In 1993 he earned his associate of arts degree in Fire Science at American River College. He then obtained his Paramedic license in 1995 and was hired as a full-time Firefighter in South Placer.

Toward continuing his professional development, Marques obtained his Chief Officer Certification from the State of California and completed the Fire and Emergency Services Program Management course at the National Fire Academy in 2016; he then enrolled at Columbia Southern University, where he graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Services Administration, in 2020.

Chief Marques attributes his continued success to the dedication, professionalism, and work ethic of the men and women he works with. “I take great pride and satisfaction in hearing people from other cities and organizations speak highly of the Manteca Fire Department, which happens often,” said Chief Marques.

For Chief Marques, a typical day starts at 7:00 a.m. in his office at Fire Station 2. After meeting with his command staff to review any overnight events, he checks his daily calendar for meetings and events. On any given day he will attend several meetings, some with the public and some with other city staff.

Much of his morning is spent answering and sending emails, after which he usually spends time attending to ongoing projects such as annual/monthly reports, budget preparation, staffing issues, and analyzing response effectiveness.

“A particular priority for the Chief is planning for the future growth of the City and how the Manteca Fire Department will handle the increased call volume,” said Chief Marques.

While his job consumes the lion’s share of his time, Chief Marques also makes time to be actively involved in the community.  For example, he belongs to the Manteca Afternoon Rotary Club and sits on the Board of the Second Harvest of The Greater Valley Food Bank.

About the City of Manteca

Manteca is a full-service City with police, fire, public works, water, trash and sewer services. For more information, call the City Manager’s office at (209) 456-8000, email: Feedback@manteca.gov, or go online to https://www.manteca.gov.

Incorporated in 1918, Manteca has a diverse population of 88,772. Manteca grew at 24.4 percent from 2010-2020 and continues to grow at an accelerated pace. The City has 28,454 households with a median home price of $500,017. The median annual household income is $90,640.