Eric Nickel has been hired as the new chief of the Palo Alto Fire Department (PAFD), marking the first time in more than two years that the department has had a dedicated chief officer. PAFD, which has a station on Serra Street just east of Campus Drive, serves Stanford University as well as the surrounding area.

Since former chief Nick Marinaro’s retirement in June 2010, Public Safety Director Dennis Burns has served as Palo Alto’s police chief and fire chief.

“I look forward to working with such an energetic, enthusiastic and dedicated public-safety professional,” Burns told Palo Alto Online.

Nickel has more than 15 years of experience as a paramedic and firefighter, and will oversee a department with more than 100 full-time employees.