Meet Nathan Gunkel, retiring after 27 years of service to the city after fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter

He won’t know it until he reads this, but Nathan Gunkel is responsible for the launch of The Palm Springs Post. As he prepares to retire from the city’s fire department after 27 years of service, we thought it only fitting that he be featured as our last Palm Springs Profile of 2023 and that we share the story.

In early 2021, there was a late-night explosion near my home in the northern portion of the city. The flames could be seen from miles away, including — I was to learn later — from the Top of the Tram. As many have been trained to do, I checked Twitter to see what local news reports had to say about the event, only to find nothing.

I tried again in the morning, checking not only social media but the websites of local TV stations and the newspaper. Again, I found nothing. Days later, I finally found something. On Nextdoor, neighbors were discussing the explosion. But without a fact-based news report to go on, the rumors were rampant, and some of them were ugly.

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Enter Capt. Gunkel, who was responsible for answering media inquiries at the fire department. I wasn’t exactly local media at the time, but when I reached out via email about the explosion and subsequent fire I got not only a reply (it was a gas leak on a stove), but a copy of the incident report and an offer to please reach out if I had any other questions.

I then shared the facts on Nextdoor, where the response was somewhat surprising. Residents were grateful and thankful that somebody, anybody, took the time to report the facts. They longed for the days when local media had more reporters covering the city. Many wrote that they wished a local news outlet existed that was just focused on Palm Springs.

A few weeks later, I answered the call and started The Post. Decades earlier, Gunkel had answered the call for public service as well.

Starting at the Palm Springs Fire Department in 1997 as a firefighter/paramedic, he went on to become the department’s infectious disease coordinator, the instructor for CPR, hazardous materials handling, and even active shooter situations. He’s been not only an engineer and captain, but most recently the public information officer. He also served as a tactical paramedic on the city’s SWAT Team for 17 years, and is a reserve police officer.

To me, personally, he served as a bright spot on some otherwise gloomy days. Whenever I was feeling drained by the often relentless pressure of trying to keep up with the news in Palm Springs, seeing Capt. Gunkel and hearing his laugh had the powerful effect of immediately lifting my spirits. I sense many others share similar feelings.

Get to know him better below.

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Name: Nathan Gunkel

Age 54

Occupation: Soon to be retired fire captain.

Where do you live and who lives with you? I currently live in Joshua Tree with my wife Dena.

Where were you born and raised? I was born in Los Angeles and raised in Palm Springs since the age of 2.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I always had a dream of becoming a firefighter.

What keeps you in the desert? My family, friends, the friendly residents.  Also the location is the perfect center for all the things I enjoy.

What’s your favorite time of year?  I enjoy every part of the year for different reasons but spring through fall is my favorite for deep sea fishing.

How do you beat the heat?  I have a boat in San Diego where I spend the majority of my time escaping the heat. But our local mountains never disappoint.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Palm Springs? I am a traditionalist and have always enjoyed the original Las Casuelas Terraza.

Where would you take first-time visitors? To the heart of the valley and one of my happy places – the Agua Caliente Indian Canyons, followed by the Palm Springs Tram.

What’s missing in Palm Springs? More facilities and things to do for our kids.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Haha! I’ve spent my life trying to take the guilt out of pleasure.

Where would you put your walk of fame star in the city? Humbly, I would question the honor. But I would say in front of Fire Station 4, the station that responded to my house fire when I was 5 years old and led me in the direction of becoming a public servant myself. It’s also the first fire station I was assigned to. 

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