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Lopes' 'temporary' job ends, after 34 years

By Jennifer McLain

When a young Ben Lopes began working for the Santa Clara County Fire Department, he thought it was a temporary gig. He just had graduated from San José State University in 1971 with a business degree, but entered a slumping job market. A friend urged him to join the fire department, and on Jan. 31, 1972, he was hired.

Thirty-four years later, Santa Clara County Fire Chief Lopes, 58, is announcing his retirement from the department and as chief, a post he's held since 2002.

"It's been an honor to serve the West Valley community, and everyone has been very supportive of the fire department," said Lopes, who grew up in the area and graduated from Camden High School in 1966. He now resides in Scotts Valley.

The chief spent the first 10 years of his career with the fire department in the field, in stations in Cupertino and Saratoga. He quickly moved through the ranks, and in 1981 was directed to the department's training division. Since that time, he has worked in the administrative side of the department, but that doesn't mean he hasn't worked through some of the biggest tragedies to hit the West Valley. In the 1985 fire in the mountains above Los Gatos, he served as operations chief. During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, his first shift began in Cupertino, and later in the day he worked as incident commander in Los Gatos.

"When things start going bad, as firefighters, that's what they are there for. They think, 'OK, I'm ready to play.' It's what they train for," he said.

These events, and many of the tragedies he's seen through the years, have stayed with him.

But for the past 25 years, Lopes' primary focus has not been fighting fires. County Fire serves more than 226,000 residents within Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill and Saratoga, and the chief's decisions can affect all of those residents.

He also returned to school, earning a master's degree in human resources and organization development in the 1990s.

Known by his colleagues for his patience and professionalism, Lopes is considered to one of the best administrators many in the department have ever worked for, according to assistant chief Ken Waldvogel.

"He's very well organized and has done a lot of planning for the organization," said Waldvogel, who will step in as interim chief in July when Lopes retires. No decision has been made on a permanent chief.

During Lopes' four years as chief, the Commission on Fire Accreditation International awarded the department accreditation status. About 100 fire departments around the world have received this honor, only four of them in California.

But the announcement was overshadowed just three weeks later after a tragedy struck. County Fire experienced its first line-of-duty death in the department's 59-year history when a downed power line at a Los Gatos house fire electrocuted Capt. Mark McCormack in February 2005. The department was then fined by California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) $44,100 after it was determined the department violated three safety codes.

During that trying time, Lopes' colleagues said they admired him for how he handled the incident, said deputy chief Hal Rooney.

Through the years, Lopes has witnessed the department change, with more diversity, better technology and an increase in staff--now at nearly 300 firefighters.

Colleagues are sad to see him leave; many have worked with him for more than 20 years. During that time, they have gotten to know a man who does not only command respect, but who also likes to have fun. Whether it's riding his Harley or waterskiing, administrative support officer Julie Thomas says Lopes is a lot more playful than people think.

Thomas jokingly likens the chief to an M&M.

"He is professional on the outside and softer in the inside," she said.

In retirement, Lopes will spend time with his wife, Ilse, and their three daughters by taking vacations to Hawaii and the Mediterranean, although he expects to volunteer his time to the community.

But Rooney expects Lopes will treat retirement with the same approach he took at the fire department.

Rooney said, "He works and plays hard."