After 37 years in service, Nevada County Consolidated Fire Chief Jim Turner is getting ready to retire in December…

click to listen to Jim Turner

Turner was named Consolidated’s chief in 2014. But, speaking on KNCO’s “On the Town”, he says he recalls his first offer to be chief for a tiny one-station department on the western side of Grass Valley, in 1990, about five years into his career. And at age 22, that also made him the youngest-ever fire chief in California…

click to listen to Jim Turner

And Turner’s entire family has a history of service. Jerry Funk, who retired back in January, as Consolidated Deputy Chief, is Turner’s brother-in-law. North San Juan Deputy Fire Chief Tom Browning is also Turner’s brother-in-law. Penn Valley Fire Captain John Pitts is Turner’s nephew. Turner also has a sister who’s a Cal Fire dispatcher and a daughter who is a Nevada County Sheriff’s deputy. Meanwhile, the new consolidated chief, Jason Robitaille, already started his new job on October 31st.