Ventura County Fire Chief Takes Heat for His Bids for a Big-City Job

In his second effort to land a big-city job since taking over the county Fire Department, Fire Chief James Sewell has applied to become Seattle’s top firefighter--a move that has some officials questioning whether his job-hunting efforts are hurting the department he has run for the last three years.

Sewell, 48, is among the top three finalists for the fire chief’s job in Seattle, and he could learn as early as this week if he will get the $106,000-a-year post--which pays about $3,000 more annually than his current job.

Last March, he also applied for the job of Los Angeles fire chief. He said he did so at the invitation of Los Angeles fire officials partly to “test my marketability.” Sewell finished among the top six candidates on that try.

“One would have to draw the conclusion that maybe he’s not happy here,” said Ventura County Supervisor John Flynn. “I like Chief Sewell. But I don’t think it’s good for the morale of the force that he’s trying to leave. I think he needs to make up his mind whether he’s going to stay or go.”

Hired three years ago to take over a department criticized for poor management, Sewell has on occasion found himself at the center of controversy.

The chief has come under fire on a number of issues, from his policy of returning the department’s canary yellow truck fleet to the traditional red to his cancellation of a Firefighter Academy class because it did not reflect the racial mix of the community.

But Sewell stands by his record and insists he is content with his current job and would not mind serving out the rest of his career in Ventura County. He said he applied for the Los Angeles and Seattle jobs simply because they were too good to pass up.

“It’s not as if I’m trying to get out of here,” said Sewell, whose wife has relatives in the Seattle area. “I’m very happy here. It’s a good department and a good place to live. But these were premier opportunities, so I looked into them.”

Fire Capt. Ken Maffei, president of the Ventura County Firefighters Assn., said he is not surprised by Sewell’s pursuit of a city job because that is his background. Before coming to Ventura County, Sewell served 24 years with the San Diego Fire Department.

But Maffei said he and others in the county department are frustrated with the turnover in fire chiefs. The department has had three chiefs in the last 10 years.

“I don’t fault him for trying to better himself,” Maffei said. “But I’m tired of having a different fire chief every few years. I would like some continuity. If your attention is going to be watered down by looking to go somewhere else, you’re not going to accomplish much.”

Sewell said he is proud of the accomplishments made during his tenure and stresses that the department should get the credit, and not himself.

During the last three years, he said, the department has helped put together a new firefighter class at Oxnard College, improved its urban search and rescue operations and moved its communications center at the Camarillo Airport into a more spacious building there.

But it has not always been easy for Sewell, who has managed to raise the ire of some officials and department employees for his actions and policies.

When the chief decided in 1994 to return to a red departmental truck fleet, it did not sit well with many of the rank and file who believed strongly that yellow had been the county’s trademark since 1972 and should remain that way.

“Ventura County was recognized throughout the state for its yellow trucks,” one fire captain said recently. “It took away our identity statewide and demoralized the staff.”

Sewell said his decision was intended to help restore public confidence in the department by recapturing a more traditional image--and nothing symbolized that more than red firetrucks.

“Red is the traditional fire unit people most associate with,” he said. “It was about restoring the department’s image.”

Sewell stressed that the department is not spending additional money to convert its fleet of 100 vehicles. He said it is slowly replacing vehicles with red ones when new purchases are made. So far, the department has 10 new red fire engines and a handful of utility trucks.

Last summer, Sewell again drew attention when he told reporters that he was considering taking legal action against Fillmore to recover about $200,000 spent fighting a brush fire ignited by fireworks sold in that city.

His comments drew sharp words from Fillmore Mayor Roger Campbell, who happens to be a volunteer firefighter in his city. Campbell accused Sewell of trying to grab publicity for his own benefit and advised the chief to “stay the hell out of our public policy.”

Sewell now says that he was wrong for the way he handled the situation. He said he should have discussed his concerns with the Board of Supervisors before making any public statements.

But Sewell said he still disagrees with Fillmore’s policy of allowing the sale of fireworks. It is the only city in the county with such a policy.

“From a fire safety standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to sell fireworks,” he said. “It kind of goes against the grain.”

The chief’s biggest controversy, however, came last fall when he canceled a Firefighter Academy class because it did not have enough minorities and women.

Sewell was accused of operating a quota system by some of his employees. He was also taken to task by taxpayer groups who said he had wasted money on tests and physicals given to members of the cadet class.

But Sewell stands by his decision, saying he was following county policy and that no one had been offered special treatment. Sewell said women and minorities are underrepresented among the department’s 385 firefighters and administrators and that he is simply making efforts to change that. The department has 66 minorities and 14 women.

“I challenge the assertion that we have a quota system,” Sewell said. “We don’t go out and say we need two of these and three of those. The policy of the county is that we reflect the community we serve, and that is what we’re trying to do. I think it’s a good policy.”

Sewell said the cadets who were in the class that was dismissed have been automatically reenrolled among the candidates for the next class and can retain their initial scores instead of retaking tests. He said the department will save money because it will not have to perform background checks or physicals on these individuals.

Meanwhile, Sewell is awaiting word on whether he will get the Seattle job. The chief was interviewed by Seattle Mayor Norman B. Rice last Monday.

The new Seattle fire chief will replace Claude Harris, who retired in December after 37 years with the city’s Fire Department.

The other two finalists are Ronny Coleman, California state fire marshal, and Raymond Barnes, fire chief of Aurora, Colo. Sources say Sewell could have the inside track because he knows both Harris and Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper.

The Seattle Fire Department includes 1,072 employees and has an annual budget of $75 million. By comparison, Ventura County’s department has a total of 450 employees and a $52-million budget.

While the base salary for both jobs is about the same, the biggest administrative difference is that the chief in Seattle is answerable only to the mayor, while Sewell must answer to the Board of Supervisors.

Some county fire officials said last week that it makes no difference to them if Sewell leaves.

“I’m going to keep on saving lives and putting out fires,” said one fire captain. “It’s not going to affect me at all.”