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Fillmore names Capt. Herrera as fire chief
He has been interim leader since Egedi was put on leave
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More from FillmoreFillmore Fire Capt. Bill Herrera, who has been the interim chief of the city Fire Department since June, was appointed Thursday as the new fire chief, effective immediately.
Herrera, who has been with the department since 1999, took over the top spot temporarily after Fire Chief Pete Egedi was placed on paid administrative leave in April.
In July, Ventura County sheriff's investigators gave prosecutors the results of an investigation into the alleged misuse of funds by Egedi, who was appointed fire chief in 2005. No criminal charge has been filed against Egedi.
"The case is still under review by the assigned prosecutor, and we are working diligently towards a decision," Jeff Bennett, chief deputy district attorney, said Thursday. He said there is no time frame for a decision.
Egedi's employment with the city ended as of Wednesday, city spokesman Steve McClary said. He declined to elaborate.
The decision to make Herrera's appointment permanent was made by City Manager Tom Ristau, who is responsible for the hiring of city employees.
As chief, the 46-year-old Herrera is in charge of three salaried fire captains and 68 volunteer firefighters.
"My goal is to make this a better department, to raise the bar and to improve training and the service we provide," Herrera said Thursday after his appointment became official.
"I am just one person in a group of individuals who come together to bring a second-to-none service to our community, and I just happen to be the one to lead it."
The Fillmore Fire Department responds to about 1,000 medical and fire emergency calls each year, according to figures provided by the city.
Herrera, who was born and raised in Santa Paula, lives in Fillmore with his wife, Kathy, and their two children.
He joined the Fillmore Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter in 1999 and became a paid captain in 2005.
As chief, he will receive a base annual salary of about $80,000 plus the standard city employee benefits package, which includes retirement and medical benefits, plus life and disability insurance.
The job of chief is an "at will" position, meaning the employee can be terminated without cause.
Posted by B8R_N4MD on October 31, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Bill.
Posted by BR11 on October 31, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WHAT A JOKE!!!
Posted by lkn4fish on October 31, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
80K!! I hope he's better at this then selling insurance.
Posted by jaccracing on November 1, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
2005 made captain!! Now he is a chief. 3 years full time experience. Is this some kind of a Hoax?
Posted by voice_of_reason on November 1, 2008 at 7:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
seriously folk........You people are so critical of a department that has gone above and beyond in helping it's citizens. For some reason anything that has to do with Fillmore brings in more negative comments from people than anywhere else. Get a life people. Congrats Bill, proud to have you as our Chief.
Posted by lkn4fish on November 2, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
voice_of_reason,
If more citizens would question how our city makes these decisions, we probably would not have so many negative comments. No one ever said the Fillmore Fire Dept. Does not go above & beyond helping the citizens of Fillmore. You would think that for 80K a year we could get a chief with more that 3 Paid years experience.
When Pete Egedi was hired, my first response was, "Wow"! "Did he even attend Fire Academy"??
Posted by voice_of_reason on November 2, 2008 at 5:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You act as thought 80K is a lot of money for putting your life on the line. A family can barely live on 80K. Also, he has been with the department since 1999. Give the guy a little credit. People in Fillmore are critical of anybody who makes more money then them. I remember when City employees salries were posted you all went crazy. Most of these individuals have Masters Degrees and many years with the city. God forbid we pay these guys and let them do the jobs they are trained and fully qualified to do. They deserve more money just to put up with people like you.
Posted by stopit on November 2, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
voice_of_reason, You sound like the Volunteer Fireman that brought a taser gun to work,to put up with people like us,he got promoted too,(go figure)
Posted by voice_of_reason on November 3, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
more money or a taser gun, what ever works best
Posted by YellowAngel on November 3, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Conratulations Bill, you have a long road ahead of you. Hopefully the City and it's past Chiefs (Askren and Campbell) will let you do the job that needs to be done. This is now your opportunity to set things right that have been oppressed over the years. You have a great bunch of firefighters working for you, LEAD them.
Fillmore politics and Safety Services don't and should not mix (thank God Fillmore does not have it's own Police Department anymore). You have a large following of supporters who want to see you and the Fillmore Fire Department succeed, don't be afraid to ask for their help.
Good luck and never stop doing what's right.
Posted by BR11 on November 3, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to know why this job opening was not posted?
Posted by YellowAngel on November 4, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BR11, you ask a good question, usually any government agency filling a Department Head position will go through a formal competitive exam process, even when they do give it to the "inside" person. The City should consider adopting all Civil Service Rules and Regulations, it might keep them out of the newspapers in the future.
Posted by 1cwbyfan on November 4, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what happen to capt.AL huerta? is he not qualified?
Posted by AnnaWhaat on November 7, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Bill ! I think you will do a great job!
Posted by BR11 on November 8, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He not qualified? I don't think the guy has a firefighter 1 certification!
Posted by WhatAJoke on December 31, 2008 at 3:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
1. Pete Egedi was the finest Fire Chief that Fillmore has ever seen, period! I don't need to elaborate on this because any of you how matter already know that.
2. Bill Herrera joined the Fillmore Fire Department as half hearted ploy to get more business for his full time businees as an "Insurance Salesman". Don't get me wrong, Bill is an educated man. He has a degree from USC (correct me if I am wrong Bill) but he is not and will never be a legitimate fire chief. When Bill was promoted to the position of volunteer Engineer his skills were lackluster at best. Shortly there after when he was GIVEN (note that I say given, not earned) a volunteer Captain rank the entire department laughed a sad laugh.
A few years later Bill wormed his way into a paid Captains job. Was he qualified? The answer is no. Bill has next to zero formal fire training or education. You don't believe me? Ask something as simple as let say "Tell me about the fire tetrahedron, or list for me the ICS structure from the Incident Commander down to his section chiefs" and you'll just get a blank stare. These a things any entry level fire academy graduate would know but Fillmore's Fire Chief will not.
3. So salud Tom Ristau, Patrick Manard (yes you know you had a part in this) and Bill himself! You are the reason that the City of Fillmore's fire department will become the laughing stock of the Ventura County fire community.
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