Santa Ana : Fire Chief to Be Offered Newly Created Position
Fire Chief William Reimer, who has been on a 90-day leave for unspecified medical reasons, may return soon as assistant to the city manager for emergency preparedness.
The new position, unanimously approved by the City Council on Monday, will primarily involve supervision of plans for a new communication and training facility for the Police and Fire departments.
City Manager Robert C. Bobb said that he will make the offer to Reimer but that he did not know whether Reimer would accept.
However, Councilwoman Patricia McGuigan, stressing that the new job would be a promotion, said she anticipates that Reimer will accept the offer. Reimer took the leave after Fire Department associations voiced complaints about disciplinary actions, the change to an all-civilian paramedic corps and tension between management and firefighters.
Deputy Chief Ernest Hoeft has been running the department in Reimer’s absence.
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