County fire department selects first female chief
The Santa Clara County Fire Department is welcoming its first female chief in its 75-year history after the Board of Supervisors appointed Suwanna L. Kerdkaew to the top role April 19.
A biology graduate from San Francisco State University, Kerdkaew joined the county Fire Department in 2002. She's served in a variety of roles, including firefighter, engineer, paramedic, battalion chief and deputy chief and most recently was acting assistant chief. According to the Fire Department, Kerdkaew has been deployed to major wildfires around the state, including the SCU Lightning Complex fires in 2020 that affected five counties and burned close to 400,000 acres of land.
“I think she's going to bring an element of humanity into the fire service at a time when we really need it,” said Angela Graham, a hazmat specialist who has served the county Fire Department since 2006. “She's always been a person of a
calm demeanor. Very caring. Very personable. I think in today's environment, those are crucial skills.”
Kerdkaew was not immediately available for an interview.
Kerdkaew's appointment comes as the county grapples with questions about the dearth of female firefighters among its ranks. In December 2020, a county civil grand jury report blamed the lack of female representation within the county Fire Department as well as in neighboring Bay Area cities on poor recruiting methods, lack of inclusivity and gender bias.
According to the National
Fire Protection Association, 4% of firefighters in the United States are women.
Assembly member Evan Low, who represents the Cupertino, Los Gatos, Campbell and Saratoga region and strongly advocated for Kerdkaew's appointment, said he was “very optimistic” for the Fire Department's future. In an interview, Low also pointed out that Kerdkaew is the county's first Asian Pacific Islander to serve as head of the Fire Department.
“I very much commend the Board of Supervisors for recognizing talent,” Low said. “I'm incredibly hopeful and hope that Suwanna can help lead the department and address the grand jury report to help focus on being more inclusive to get more women in the ranks.”
Santa Clara County's Fire Department serves eight cities, including Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Los Altos Hills, Campbell and Cupertino, as well as the area's unincorporated zones.
Kerdkaew will replace acting Chief Brian Glass, who joined the department the same year as Kerdkaew.