John P. Elliff began his career as a seasonal firefighter with CAL FIRE in 1968 and would rise to the rank of battalion chief over almost three and a half decades of service. Over the course of his career, John worked tirelessly to protect the citizens of California and was a founding member of the Diablo Fire Safe Council, which sought to substantially reduce the impact of wildland fires in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Outside of firefighting, John loved the outdoors, spending time camping, hiking, flying his airplane, sailing with friends and traveling to our country's National Parks. John is survived by his wife, Debbie, and their three sons. He died in 2005 after succumbing to the effects of job-related cancer at the age of 55.