After being encouraged by good friend and Boy Scout leader Charles Sitton, Keith Kraetsch made the decision to join the Ventura County Fire department in 1969.  His love for the fire department developed as he rose through the ranks from Engineer and eventually Captain.  His passion for the fire service was evident as he continued to serve as the President of the Ventura County Professional Fire Fighters Association for 11 years.  He was determined to make the department the best in the country; through many changes and contracts negotiated, he was able to achieve this.  Keith contracted job-related cancer in December of 1994 and passed away less than a year later.