Three Finalists Named For Escambia County Fire Chief

April 4, 2018

The list of candidates for the Escambia County fire chief job has been narrowed to three after a selection committee meeting Wednesday. The candidate finalists are:

  • Stephen F. Cox, South Bend, IN
  • Russell Clark Nail, Melbourne, FL
  • Paul Randall Smith, Mobile, AL

The county expects to being the top three candidates to Escambia County on Thursday, April 19 to tour the Emergency Operations Center and public safety building some local Escambia County Fire Rescue stations, followed by a meet and greet with staff, volunteer firefighters and full-time firefighters. The selection committee is then expected to conduct in-person interviews with the top three candidates the morning of Friday, April 20.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Comments

8 Responses to “Three Finalists Named For Escambia County Fire Chief”

  1. Flash on April 6th, 2018 1:05 pm

    Obviously learning from the past is not teaching us that Fire Chiefs musical chairs alone WILL NOT fix ECFR internal problems nor firefighter’s trust issues with ECFR administration.

    In brief, there’s a culture problem which requires a purge within fire administration along with a new Fire Chief assignment. This is the only way to improve trust in leadership, as well as, the toxic workplace which survives after the jettison of a Fire Chief.

  2. Nick on April 6th, 2018 6:08 am

    Stephen F. Cox!!!

  3. Copper on April 5th, 2018 2:54 pm

    Yes, this is good for Escambia County. If your just not feeling it with a local, than look elsewhere. We are not alone in this process. We lose good locals to other areas all the time. You will still get idiots. but they have no buddies in the system. I like it.

  4. Nod on April 5th, 2018 10:39 am

    Well I see that we do not have the talent or knowledge to do the job in this town. GOOD thing smart people are making hris selection.

  5. Frank on April 4th, 2018 10:59 pm

    Maybe a fresh start from outside is a good thing!!!

    Escambia Co is known for the buddy system!!!

  6. Colomay on April 4th, 2018 10:16 pm

    The committee consist of people who have never been a fireman besides maybe one of them, and he wasn’t much of one. It’s a slap in the face to fireman of Escambia county who work so hard for so little pay. A pay study came out that showed they’re paid 65 percent less than other departments. County administration hasn’t communicated once with the fireman to let them know what is going on. It isn’t the fireman that are the problem, it’s downtown. Hopefully they pick a good Chief but I’m sure they’ll pick the one who they can control. Escambia county has some of the best fireman and it’s sad to get treated like they do. Fireman are leaving by the week for better paying jobs and going to places were the administration actually care about the employees. Hard to live off what they get paid and what they have to deal with from downtown.

  7. Trocarman on April 4th, 2018 8:56 pm

    Seems like someone local could have been selected.

  8. FlGuy on April 4th, 2018 7:09 pm

    Who does the selection committee consist of?