City Changes Course in Search for New Fire Chief

Fountain Valley has hired a second interim fire chief, and will shift its search for a permanent replacement to focus on promoting one of the department's three battalion chiefs from within, City Manager Ray Kromer said Monday.

"We have excellent people," Kromer said. "But we need to make a bigger investment in mentoring them."

Bart Lewis, who formerly served as fire chief in the City of Orange, was tapped a few weeks ago by the city to fill in as fire chief after the loss of redevelopment money forced the city to postpone its external search, even as it appeared to be closing in on a replacement, Kromer said.

The fire department has been without a chief since last July, when former chief Bill Walker left the department for Alhambra. Former Laguna Beach Chief Mike Macey served as interim chief until earlier this year.

Lewis will work about 20 hours each week, at a rate of $90 per hour, Kromer said, and will help the department get through budget season and mentor its battalion chiefs. The city hopes to promote one of them to chief within a year, Kromer said.