Within weeks of being appointed Philadelphia fire commissioner, Derrick Sawyer faced tough questions from residents and officials in the City of Brotherly Love about his department’s response to the raging Gesner Street fire that gutted homes and killed four children in summer 2014.
On Thursday, here in the capital city of New Jersey, Sawyer’s confirmation hearing resembled a brush fire, if one at all.
George Muschal, the fire-starter councilman from the South Ward who made it seem like he would be sounding a four-alarm fire about the mayor’s new pick to lead the Trenton Fire Department, didn’t ask Sawyer a single question. And council followed suit, in hurrahing and applauding Sawyer and Dr. Shing-Fu Hsueh with unanimous approval.
It was welcome respite for Mayor Reed Gusciora, who faced stinging criticism earlier in the week after his acting directors walked out of Tuesday's meeting before the final whistle.
While he talked a good game, Muschal basically waived the white flag when it came down to it, once Sawyer convincingly ticked off his educational and professional experiences, which included more than 30 years as a firefighter.