SAN CLEMENTE : Resigned Fire Chief’s Successor Is Hired
Ending a five-month search, officials have hired a deputy fire chief from San Bernardino to head the city fire department.
Jim W. Knight, a 20-year veteran of the San Bernardino department, handled a $12.6-million budget there, San Clemente City Manager Michael W. Parness said. He will begin his new job Jan. 22.
Knight replaces former Fire Chief Thomas F. Dailey, who resigned July 17 amid a grand jury investigation of the department. The inquiry is continuing, with the county district attorney’s office and city officials refusing to comment on the details.
“This is a period of change for the Fire Department, and (Knight) is going to have to shepherd that along,” Parness said.
In addition to preparing an annual budget, Knight’s duties in San Bernardino included overseeing a 192-person department and handling paramedics, Parness said.
Parness said a new fire station opened Jan. 7 to accommodate department and city growth.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
