Long Beach : Fire Dept. Chief Named
- Share via
A 22-year veteran of the Long Beach Fire Department has been named as its new chief.
Deputy Fire Chief Chris A. Hunter will take the $80,000-a-year post starting Friday .
Hunter, 48, said he will “keep the programs going” and work to further improve the department. A board member of the Los Angeles County chapter of the State Fire Chiefs’ Assn., Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands and also attended Long Beach City College. He had served as a firefighter for three years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before joining the Long Beach department in 1966.
As chief, he will supervise a department authorized for 502 positions, of which about 450 are uniformed firefighters. He will also oversee the annual budget of $41.7 million.
Of the nine members of the department ranked battalion chief or higher who applied for the top job, the field was narrowed to three deputy chiefs--Hunter, Oystein F. (Sam) Husoe and Arthur M. Santavicca.
Hunter will replace retiring Chief James (Ben) Souders.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
