City of Santa Barbara officials announced that retired Santa Barbara Fire Captain Anthony “Tony” Pighetti died on Oct. 9 at 59 years old.
Just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, authorities say Pighetti was reported missing by family members after leaving earlier that evening to go paddle boarding near Miramar Beach in Montecito.
Local law enforcement, fire resources, Santa Barbara City Harbor Patrol, and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted an extensive search operation that continued overnight, according to officials.
The City of Santa Barbara says Pighetti was located by Coast Guard members early Wednesday morning; he was then reportedly transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where, despite efforts to resuscitate him, he passed away shortly after 9 a.m.
Pighetti worked at the Santa Barbara City Fire Department for nearly 30 years, serving since April 1990 as an emergency responder, a fire engineer, and a fire captain. Officials say he retired in December 2019.
The Santa Barbara City Fire official was known among his colleagues as a pioneer of first responder peer support and mental wellness programs with local, regional, and national reach, according to a press release.
Pighetti spearheaded the development of Peer Support— a program that aims to change the culture of the first responder community by supporting and embracing firefighters being vulnerable and communicative.
The Fire Chiefs Association of Santa Barbara County enlisted Pighetti as the Peer Support Team Coordinator for the entire Operational Area of Santa Barbara County. His efforts ensured that any local firefighter in need of mental health support was connected with trained Peer Support Team members and skilled clinicians.
The former fire captain trained an extensive team of Peer Support Team Members from every local fire department to spot the signs of a firefighter in need of mental health support, according to officials. He also served as a Board Member of the One805 nonprofit organization, worked with FireScope to develop a Peer Support program for first responders across California, and traveled to Maui as part of the response to the Lahaina Fire in 2023.
Following the retired fire official's death, authorities say Righetti's Santa Barbara County Peer Support Team and its regional partners are working to help affected emergency responders during this time.
City officials say Pighetti is survived by his wife Andrea, his three children and their partners, his grandaughter and expected grandchild, and his beloved dog Donuts, who was also involved with Santa Barbara County Fire.
A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held on Oct. 20 to commemorate the late fire captain. Organizers say the event starts at 2 p.m. at Santa Barbara City College's Great Lawn and is open to family, friends, and members of the community who wish to pay their respects.
