San Francisco Chronicle
(TNS)
Sep. 3—San Francisco's new interim chief of the Fire Department is the first Asian American and first chief of paramedics to run the agency.
Mayor London Breed shared Tuesday that Sandy Tong will take over after former chief Jeanine Nicholson announced in July she would step down.
Tong was assistant deputy chief of emergency medical services and has over 35 years of experience working in EMS, according to the SFFD website.
"I have known Sandy for many, many years and she has consistently stepped up to the plate," Breed said. "Her intimate knowledge and understanding of the department as a whole will make her a great leader during this interim period as we move forward with the appropriate process in order to select a new chief."
"I am humbled by this opportunity and will serve you to the best of my ability," Tong said Tuesday. "I will carry on the legacy of the San Francisco Fire Department and ... we will continue to meet day-to-day challenges and keep the city safe."
Breed is picking a Chinese American who grew up in the city's Chinatown just as the mayor is seeking to woo Asian American voters in her reelection bid. Breed recently lost the endorsement of the firefighters union to former Supervisor Mark Farrell despite Breed counting the labor group as an important supporter when she was elected six years ago.
Breed's decision came about a month after Nicholson announced her retirement. Nicholson, who was appointed by Breed in 2019, was the second woman to hold the position and the department's first openly gay leader.
Tong received her bachelor's degree in Sino-Soviet relations from UC Berkeley and a doctorate in organizational psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
The Fire Department responds to over 73,000 EMS calls a year, according to its website. The department says that as of 2010 it provides about 80% of the ambulance response in the city.
The decision to name Tong interim chief was made jointly by Breed and the department's five-member Fire Commission. Now Breed and the Fire Commission will begin the process of selecting a permanent chief.
Reach Aldo Toledo: [email protected]
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