White chosen as city’s newfire chief
Department still recovering from Ghost Ship blaze
OAKLAND » Longtime Oakland firefighter Darin White was named fire chief Thursday, the city’s second choice after a Los Angeles candidate turned down the job over a contract dispute.
White, who has spent 20 of his 30-year career in Oakland, will lead a beleaguered department recovering from the Ghost Ship blaze, the deadliest structure fire inmodern California history that uncovered failures to properly inspect commercial and multi-unit residential buildings.
The Oakland nativemost recently served as interim chief, after Teresa Deloach Reed went on leave and later retired in the wake of the Dec. 2 warehouse fire that killed 36 people attending a dance party.
Mayor Libby Schaaf and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth announced the hiring Thursday.
“We sought a fire chief who will be a decisive and highly visible leader with a proven reputation for being accessible, honest and transparent,” Schaaf said in a statement. “A leader who knows our community and will provide exceptional service, and whose inspiring demeanor will continue to move the Oakland Fire Department forward.”
As this news organization first reported on Oct. 8, Los Angeles Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Butler said he was offered the job on Aug. 29 and the city wanted to announce himas the new chief the next day. But the 27-year veteran said he turned it down because the compensation package would mean a $50,000 pay cut, despite assurances from the city that the pay would be equal to his current job.
According to city sources, White had been one of the finalists before Butler was selected. After Butler turned down the job, the city again launched another round of searches throughout the fire community before selectingWhite, one source said Thursday.
Butler was of fered $239,000 a year in base pay, he said. City spokeswoman Karen Boyd said White’s pay will be $233,269 a year, up from his 2016 deputy chief salary of $206,175, according to Transparent California. Reed earned $226,000 in 2016.
Reached Thursday, Butler, who called the position his “dream job,” expressed concerns about the troubled department hiring a commander from within an agency beset with problems.
It’s been a trying year for Oakland fire. The deadly blazes at Ghost Ship and a large apartment building on San Pablo Avenue that killed four people shone a spotlight on inspection troubles within OFD. The Fruitvale district artist collective never was inspected because itwasnot on thedepartment’s inspection rolls.
An investigation published by this newspaper in July found firefighters over the past five years had found obvious fire dangers at multi-unit residential buildings, including at the San Pablo building, but most of the referrals went nowhere and inspections never took place.
Residents have complained about inspections of vegetation management in the Oakland Hills, where 25 people died in the 1991 firestorm, saying the city does not have enough fulltime inspectors to keep an eye on approximately 26,000 hillside properties.
In his ninemonths as interim chief, White has already seen plenty as the top fire official. On July 7, a massive and suspicious four- alarm fire destroyed a building under construction near Lake Merritt. In August, rookie firefighter Jake P. Walter was shot and killed and another off- duty firefighter was injured in what San Jose police called a senseless and unprovoked attack.
And crews this fire season battled at least two large grass fires that had the potential to be catastrophic, Landreth said.
“Chief White has undergone an intense on- thejob interview process, and has demonstrated effective management, operational excellence and compassionate leadership,” Landreth said in a statement. The interview process confirmed the city needed a chief with Oakland roots, she said.
White, 49, grew up in Oakland, graduated from Oakland High School and is raising his family in Oakland. The new chief has served two years as deputy chief of field operations and seven years as battalion chief of operations. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire and Emergency Services Administration from Colorado State University.
White, in a statement, said he is excited to start his new position.
“I am also grateful for the many individuals in the Oakland Fire Depart- ment, community members, and City leaders who continue to work hard to ensure that our transition is a success,” he said. “It is because of their tireless efforts, demonstrated passion, and commitment to improvement that our progress will continue.”
His swearing- in ceremony will occur at 1 p.m. today in City Hall.
Oakland f irefighter union president Dan Robertson said he’s glad his department has a new chief.
“We’re happy that we finally have some clear direction in place, and as always Local 55 will work with the administration in partnership to continue to provide the best service for both our community and membership,” Robertson said.