SF fire chief Joanne Hayes-White retires after 14 years

San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White announced Monday she will be retiring from her position.

In a joint statement with Mayor London Breed, Hayes-White said her retirement will be finalized once a replacement chief is selected.

Hayes-White said in her statement:

“My time serving as chief of the department has been a distinct honor and has been incredibly rewarding. … I am proud to have advanced health, wellness, and safety initiatives in our workplaces.”

She said:

“I am most gratified that we are one of the most diverse Fire Departments in the world, which adds profound benefits to the ease of our service delivery to the community. As someone born and raised in this great city, I remain proud to serve the Fire Department.”

In a statement, Breed said:

“I want to thank Chief Hayes-White for her decades of service in our Fire Department, where she worked admirably to maintain the safety and security of the people of San Francisco.”

Breed added:

“I also want to thank her for working collaboratively to ensure that we have stability as we work to select a new fire chief. While we identify and select a new chief, Chief Hayes-White can continue to focus on what matters most to all of us — keeping our residents and visitors safe.”

Hayes-White was first appointed as fire chief by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2004.

After having graduated from Santa Clara University with a business degree, she first began working with the San Francisco Fire Department in 1990 as a firefighter and eventually worked her way up, serving as battalion chief, assistant deputy chief and director of training until being appointed as chief.

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