HIGHLAND, Calif. (October 26, 2022) -- The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians today announced that Keith Alexander is the newly appointed Chief for the San Manuel Fire Department effective October 31, 2022. Keith’s 21 years of service to San Manuel began in 2001 when he joined the Tribe’s newly developed Emergency Services team. Instrumental in developing the San Manuel Fire Department into a vital, 80-person fire and emergency medical services (EMS) team well respected throughout Indian Country and beyond, Keith will be responsible for all day-to-day leadership and operations of the fire and EMS teams.
"Keith has been instrumental in building a world-class fire and emergency services team serving San Manuel Nation and the surrounding community," said Michael Smith, Vice President of Emergency Services for San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. “His leadership and expertise have led to exponential growth and development of the Tribe’s emergency services capabilities.”
Keith joined San Manuel as the Training and Education Coordinator and was responsible for training employees of San Manuel and other organizations in fire, hazardous materials and public safety. Since then, he has held roles of increasing responsibility including Battalion Chief, Division Chief and most recently, Deputy Fire Chief. As Deputy Fire Chief, Keith supported the Fire Chief in all activities and operations within the Department, in whose absence he would serve as the on-duty supervisor.
Before joining San Manuel, Keith spent 14 years as a firefighter and later as a fire apparatus engineer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). He holds numerous certifications and has received multiple awards and recognition such as Firefighter of the Year, United States Senate Letter of Distinction – Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator, California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition – Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries and Spirit of Courage Award from the Inland Empire Burn Institute.
Keith attended Crafton Hills College in 1989 where he attained his Emergency Medical Technician, Firefighter Academy and Fire Science education. He most recently attended Claremont Graduate University - School of Politics & Economics where he completed both the Tribal Administration Certification Program and the advanced Applied Principals Program.
About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally-recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region.
