Yesterday, the City of Victorville officially swore in Bobby Clemmer as the new Fire Chief to lead the Victorville Fire Department. Clemmer, who promoted from deputy chief of operations for Victorville Fire, has spent the entirety of his career serving the High Desert and will bring his wealth of experience and specialized knowledge of the region into his new role.
A graduate of Apple Valley High School, Clemmer grew up in the High Desert. He began his career in the fire service in 2002 as a paid call firefighter in Barstow. He rapidly progressed through the organization, promoting to the ranks of Engineer then Captain. In 2017, he lateraled to Apple Valley Fire where he served as a Captain for another 5.5 years and as an Interim Battalion Chief.
In February 2023, Clemmer was hired as a Training Battalion Chief with the City of Victorville. After serving as Interim Deputy Chief of Operations for nearly eight months, Clemmer was officially promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations for Victorville Fire in November of last year.
“The opportunity to lead an organization full of individuals I have tremendous respect for is exciting,” said Clemmer. “I’ve been fortunate enough to lead this group in different situations over the past year and remain impressed with every single person’s skill set.”
Clemmer earned a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. Throughout his career as a firefighter, he has also worked as an adjunct instructor with Victor Valley College, 911 dispatcher with Desert Comm, and a private ambulance paramedic. In addition, Clemmer is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer, registered State Fire Training Instructor, and certified Chaplain. He is qualified in Urban Search and Rescue and has 20 years of paramedic experience.
“The support of my family has been unwavering,” said Clemmer who draws great inspiration from his wife Amanda and his three children, Mackenzie, Mason, and Jackson. “I am excited to see what the future holds and truly believe this is where I’m meant to be.”
Clemmer assumes command from Interim Fire Chief William “Willie” Racowschi who has served the department since December 2022.
“Bobby had the chance to mentor under an amazing leader in Chief Racowschi, and he’s learned the organizational culture,” said Victorville City Manager Keith C. Metzler. “He is going to be a great fit for the Victorville Fire Department.”
The history of the Victorville Fire Department dates to 1926 when the Victorville County Fire Protection District was established. In 1930, the Victorville Volunteer Fire Department was created. In 1976, approximately 14 years after Victorville was incorporated, control of the Victorville Fire Protection District was assumed by the City of Victorville. In March 2019, the City of Victorville re-established its Fire Department after contracting fire services for 10 years.
Located in Southern California at the mid-point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Victorville is the leading city for both industry and retail in the High Desert region. Victorville is a growing, vibrant community that is home to approximately 136,000 residents and some of the area’s largest employers. Clean air, abundant mountain vistas, family-friendly recreational activities, spectacular sunsets, and breathtaking night skies entice locals and visitors alike to fall in love with this city that is within a few hours of SoCal beaches, National Parks, mountain retreats, and other major attractions. Ontario International Airport is less than an hour away. Learn more about the City of Victorville at VictorvilleCA.gov.