The City of South Lake Tahoe was incorporated November 10th 1965. On September 20th 1966, Ordinance No. 82 establishing a City Fire Department was passed and adopted by the South Lake Tahoe City Council.

On October 4th 1966 the City Manager, John T. Williams, announced the appointment of William J. Tonquet as South Lake Tahoe Fire Department's first Fire Chief. The department was formed on November 1st 1966.  Chief Tonguet came from Palo Alto's Fire Department, where he was the Assistant Chief, to take over the new department. He served from November 1966 to 1969. He left South Lake Tahoe to become the first Chief of the Greater Anchorage Bureau in Alaska, and later Foster City, California. Chief Tonguet, a native of Wheeler, Texas became an expert in the development and management of new municipal fire departments. He retired in 1985 as Deputy Chief of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Fire and Rescue Division. Chief Tonquet passed away September 24th 1998 at his home in Sacramento, he was 70.

Marvin Smiley was the department's second Fire Chief. Marv had previously been with the Lake Valley Fire Protection District. He retired in 1980. Marv passed away March 25th 2003.

He was followed by Bert Cherry in 1981. Bert retired October 23rd 1992.

Jim Plake took on the duties of Fire Chief until September 30th 1997 when he retired.

In 1997 a Safety Services department was established and Police Chief Dave Solaro, City of South Lake Tahoe Police Department, took the job of Safety Services Director. Dave retired in 1998.

When Dave retired Brad Bennett became Director of Safety Services. Brad retired October 5, 2002.
 

The department, when formed in 1966, was comprised of a Chief and an Assistant Chief for administration duties; a Fire Marshal assigned to full time fire prevention and investigation activities, assisted by suppression companies; three men on duty with each in-service apparatus and due to the physical configuration of the city three manned engine companies, one company at each of the three fire stations; three dispatchers; a mechanic; and part time clerk.

For five years a Safety Services Director was in place for both the Police and Fire Departments. There was a Fire Chief who was responsible for the Fire Department. He is assisted by a Senior Administrative Clerk; one Division Chief/Fire Marshal in charge of Fire Prevention, who works a 24 hour shift; two Battalion Chiefs, one in charge of training, the other is the EMS Officer working 24 hour shifts. Dispatch is done by the City Dispatch Center located at the Police Department; mechanics duties are performed by the City Garage.

Starting September 2001 a JPA was formed with Tahoe City FPD and Lake Valley FPD to provide ambulance service to the community.

When Chief Brad Bennett retired Police and Fire were once again separated into two individual departments. On December 22, 2001, Michael M. Chandler became the 5th Fire Chief for the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department. Michael started with the FD as a Cadet and moved through the ranks achieving Chief December 22nd 2001.Michael M. Chandler retired September 3rd 2004.