Tom Patava
EMS District Chief
 

District Chief Tom Patava became a member of the Des Moines Fire Department on September 30, 1991. He was promoted to District Fire Chief on November 21, 2005 and worked as a shift commander on the 1st Division, responsible for the fire department operations of stations 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9 until May 2007. In May 2007, he assumed the responsibilities for the EMS section of the Des Moines Fire Department.

Tom has an A.S. Degree in Fire Science from D.M.A.C.C, and is a state certified Paramedic Specialist. He has certifications as Fire Officer 1, Fire Instructor 1, and Firefighter 1 & 2. District Chief Patava has attended various classes from the National Fire Academy, I.S.U., and Kirkwood Community College. He has attended classes in confined space rescue, trench rescue, ice rescue, vehicle extrication, and incident command.