BREA : Interim Fire Chief Gets Permanent Post

After a year and two months as the city’s acting fire chief, William R. Simpkins has been named to the Fire Department’s top post permanently.

“Now I can focus on what I need to do here as chief,” said Simpkins, 48.

In his view, the chief task is to make the department more “user-friendly.”

The city’s four fire stations have long been known in the community as the places where firefighters hole up and don’t come out unless an emergency occurs, he said.

“I think it’s important for the firefighters to get out and have a public presence so the public will learn about fire prevention, protection and solutions to hazardous problems,” he said.

City officials praised Simpkins’ ideas and appointed him to the job last month. An official badge-pinning ceremony will take place Thursday.

Simpkins, a longtime resident of Yorba Linda, was hired as Brea’s fire marshal in 1989 and has worked as acting chief and fire marshal since 1992, when former Fire Chief Bud Moody retired.

He took over both jobs when the city instituted a hiring freeze to trim the budget. The city lifted the hiring freeze recently for the sole purpose of hiring Simpkins.

His annual salary will be $97,000. He will supervise 56 employees, including 48 sworn firefighters, and oversee a $5-million budget.

Before coming to Brea in 1989, Simpkins worked for the Orange Fire Department, beginning his firefighting career in 1969.

City officials said they chose Simpkins based on his performance over the past year.

Under Simpkins’ direction, the department coordinated evacuations, investigations and rescues at the scene of a fatal plane crash in Carbon Canyon; contributed to battling the firestorms in Laguna Beach, Malibu and Anaheim Hills; and assisted firefighters in Northridge after the 6.8-magnitude earthquake.

Simpkins performed in an outstanding manner and proved that he is the right person for the job, assistant City Manager Tim O’Donnell said.