The San Diego Union-Tribune
VIEJAS INDIAN RESERVATION, Calif. — The Viejas Indian band will inaugurate its fire department with a formal badge-pinning ceremony tomorrow.
The East County tribe, which operates the region’s largest casino, has been contracting with outside departments for reservation fire protection since 1996. Before then, it relied on a tribal volunteer crew.
The Viejas Fire Department, which went into operation this month, is headed by Chief Don Butz, 44. Previously a Rancho Santa Fe assistant chief, Butz grew up in Alpine near the Viejas reservation.
Butz and his 19 firefighters — 18 men and one woman — will be sworn in at 12:30 p.m. during an invitation-only ceremony on the reservation.