Should the next fire chief be one of San Francisco’s top firefighters?
The firefighters union seems to think so, but alleges in a letter to the Fire Commission that the Fire Department’s “most experienced field suppression chiefs” were knocked out of the running for fire chief.
San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 president-elect Shon Buford wrote that local firefighters with the most experience in the field — those who have actually fought fires — had their job applications tossed out before any interviews were even held. Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White announced her retirement in October last year, a post she held for nearly fifteen years. She’s been with the department since 1990.
Since Hayes-White announced her departure, about 35 applicants have thrown their hats into the ring, sources told me, a number that was winnowed down to about 11 at a December 19 fire commission meeting. The commission will begin interviewing them this Friday, and in a few weeks is expected to forward three to four candidates to Mayor London Breed.