H.B. nominates new fire chief

The Huntington Beach city administrator announced the replacement Tuesday for retiring Fire Chief Duane Olson.

Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Fire Chief Patrick McIntosh was selected by the city as the new fire chief. McIntosh’s appointment must be approved by the City Council at its Monday meeting.

“Chief McIntosh was selected from a very qualified group of candidates who were gathered from a national recruitment,” City Administrator Fred Wilson said in a statement. “He is certainly capable of leading the Fire Department, and I look forward to him joining the executive team.”

Olson is retiring after 39 years with the city Tuesday. If approved, McIntosh would take the helm of the fire department Jan. 27.

“I am honored and quite frankly, humbled, to have the opportunity to serve as the next fire chief,” said McIntosh in an e-mail. “The Huntington Beach Fire Department has a long history of providing excellent fire and emergency services with a very dedicated and well-trained professional staff.”

McIntosh said he is looking forward to leading the department into the future. If he is approved, his first plan of action is to learn as much as he can about the department.

“My immediate goal is to learn all aspects of the Huntington Beach Fire Department operations, including the various elements of the delivery of fire and emergency services, community risk reduction and education programs, and the administrative functions that make up the services we provide to the community,” he said.

McIntosh was one of the first executive fire officers in the nation to receive Chief Fire Officer Designation in 2000. He started with the Orange County Fire Authority in 1982 as a firefighter and, during his nearly 28 years there, moved up through the ranks as assistant chief, division chief and battalion chief before reaching deputy fire chief in 2007.

Before joining the Orange County Fire Authority, McIntosh was a firefighter for the city of San Gabriel for three years.

McIntosh completed a Harvard University program for senior executives in state and local government and has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Chapman University and a bachelor’s degree in fire protection administration from Cal State Los Angeles. He graduated from the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. The 51-year-old San Gabriel native lives in Laguna Niguel with his wife and two daughters.

McIntosh’s nomination is expected to be on the agenda for the City Council meeting Monday. The council meets at 6 p.m. in City Chambers at the Civic Center on Main Street.