Meet The Chief

After 43 years of service with the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD), Fire Chief Michael Fuge is retiring. Former EMS Battalion Chief Armando Muela, has been selected to take his place.
Chief Fuge began his term in 1964 as a volunteer firefighter for Woodside Fire Department. Since then he served in all the ranks of the fire service: Firefighter, Captain, Battalion Chief, and Fire Chief. He plans on enjoying his retirement by spending time with his grandchildren, hunting and the outdoors.
To take over for Chief Fuge is the former Emergency Medical Services Battalion Chief Armando Muela. Chief Muela began his career as a seasonal firefighter for the California Department of Forestry. After the two years with CDF, he enrolled and completed Paramedic school at Stanford. He worked for ambulance companies in Contra Costa as well as San Mateo County and in 1981 he returned back to the fire service as a firefighter/paramedic with South San Francisco Fire Department. He worked his way up to EMS Coordinator then decided to relocated to Woodside where he started up Woodside’s Paramedic Program. By 1998 he was promoted to EMS Battalion Chief and was in charge of coordinating three departments’ EMS programs. Aside from his regular job, he teaches EMS classes for the community college in San Mateo.

Chief Muela is definitely what you would call a “people person”. Known by many, he is a hands-on leader and has strong beliefs in public service. Chief Muela knows that he has big shoes to fill now that he has promoted, but his extensive background in public service and dedication has made the WFPD confident in his capabilities and they are looking forward to working with him in another capacity.

**Sorry, we do NOT have fire patches.**
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Retired Chief Fuge and New Fire Chief Muela