Kenneth McCarthy will be the new fire chief for the city of Corvallis.
McCarthy, currently the deputy chief in San Jose, California, will take over for Roy Emery on June 17. Emery, a former volunteer firefighter who rose through the ranks to become chief in 2006, officially retired July 1, 2018, but he has continued to serve during the recruitment.
McCarthy's appointment was announced Thursday. The city brought in a total of four candidates to a pair of meet-and-greet sessions before selecting McCarthy, whose duties in San Jose include supervising 700 employees and 32 fire stations. There are five stations and approximately 70 firefighters in the Corvallis Fire Department.