Kevin Wise wasn’t fire chief of Ceres very long when he left in February 2021. He had been in the position since January 2019.

He’s back again – this time as a deputy fire chief with Modesto Fire Department, which Ceres contracts with for fire service. Much of Wise’s time will be overseeing Ceres fire operations.

“We’re very lucky and fortunate to have him on the Modesto Fire Department,” Modesto Fire Chief Alan Ernst told the Ceres City Council last week. “I’d like to take some credit but we know his talents and strengths and know his expertise here in Ceres. So one of his primary roles and responsibilities will be serving the city of Ceres part of our contract and assisting me with the other contracts as well.”

Wise left Ceres early last year to become deputy fire chief for the city of Fremont in the Bay area. He was replaced by Interim Chief Mike Botto, who guided the city into a contract with the city of Modesto.

Wise, formerly a battalion chief with the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire District, was selected as Ceres’ fire chief in January 2021. 

Wise had been with Stanislaus Consolidated since July 2012 and was formerly employed with the Oakdale and Woodland Avenue fire departments. 

He earned his associate degree in Fire Science from Modesto Junior College in 2004 and his bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration from Cogswell Polytechnic College in San Jose. He also attended the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program from 2014 to 2018.

In 2016 Wise made local news when he received a bone marrow transplant and beat cancer for a second time. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2011 which he beat through leukemia. In September 2015 doctors learned that he had acute myeloid leukemia. After additional rounds of chemotherapy he was given a bone marrow transplant and is in remission.