UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the contract will not come to the fire district board until July.

After nearly 30 years working for the Woodside Fire Protection District, with the last four in the top job of fire chief, Rob Lindner is retiring. His successor is Tom Cuschieri, the agency's most recent deputy fire chief. Cuschieri became the district head on Monday, June 26.

Lindner's last day is Thursday, June 22. He signaled his intent to retire in a letter submitted to the district's fire board at a Jan. 31 meeting, saying he planned to step down at the end of June. The board voted on April 25 to hire Cuschieri, who has ​been with the district for about 25 years, as WFPD's 14th fire chief. Board President Matt Miller said in a Thursday email that the board should approve a new contract at a meeting in July. The Almanac will update this story when contract details are available.

"It truly has been an honor to serve the citizens of the WFPD for the past 28-plus years," Lindner said in a statement. The fire district serves Woodside, Portola Valley, Emerald Hills, Ladera, Los Trancos, Skyline and Vista Verde.

Significant events during his time with the district included the CZU Lightning Complex Fires in August 2020, which came very close to the fire district boundaries; the COVID-19 pandemic response; remodeling Fire Station 8 in Portola Valley, which is expected to be complete in August; rebuilding Fire Station 7 in Woodside, a project 10 years in the making which should be done in November; and the extreme storms that hit the Bay Area this past winter.

Lindner started his career in the fire district as a firefighter and paramedic in September 1995. He was promoted to fire captain in 2005, battalion chief in 2012, deputy fire chief in 2016, and fire chief in April 2019.

When he was hired in 1995, Lindner said, the emphasis was on providing emergency medical services (EMS).

"San Mateo County was in the early stages of adding paramedics to the fire engines. This led to the 1999 public/private partnership that still exists today. ... Although EMS remains a priority as the majority of 911 responses, emphasis is also in fire prevention in respect to wildfire."

Eight of the 10 largest California wildfires have occurred in the last six years.

"This has led to an emphasis on early notification (San Mateo County uses SMC Alert), the creation of Zonehaven for evacuations, priorities on vegetation management and home hardening," he said. "State mandates with regards to housing, the need to update fire codes and local building codes, has really led to deep discussions on how we move forward on how to build, where to build, and how we can do this as safe as possible."

Lindner thanked his fellow staff members, local officials, local businesses, vendors and contractors who have supported the WFPD and who he's enjoyed working with over the years.

Woodside fire has a history of hiring its chiefs from within the organization. Lindner was preceded by Chief Dan Ghiorso, who served in the department for 28 years.

For more on the fire district, go to woodsidefire.org.