Fountain Valley is well known as an early farming community where sugar beets, lima beans and asparagus were grown in the area’s rich, fertile land.
Turns out, the city is also known for its crop of fire chiefs.
Meet the city’s newest chief, Ron Cookston who, like recently retired fire chief Tony Coppolino and former chief Mark Haskell, has his roots in Fountain Valley.
Like Coppolino and Haskell, Cookston attended Fountain Valley High School. Also like Coppolino and Haskell, he has spent his entire firefighting career in Fountain Valley.
Cookston began his time with the Fountain Valley Fire Department as a volunteer in 1991, working as a fire prevention and suppression reserve.
Since beginning his firefighting career 25 years ago, Cookston has held every sworn position in the department, including paramedic, engineer, captain, paramedic coordinator, training captain and battalion chief.