San Luis Obispo has appointed Randy Harris as its permanent Fire Chief, effective June 18.
Harris has served in the role on an interim basis since January, coming out of retirement to lead the department.
"As Interim Fire Chief, I have experienced tremendous support of the City's leadership team and the entire department," Harris said. "There are several critical Fire Department needs that will require solid leadership over the coming years, which is why I offered to continue leading our Fire Department team."
The city conducted a national recruitment earlier this year to fill the position, which was left vacant late last year. While strong candidates were identified, none were ultimately appointed.
City Manager Whitney McDonald praised Harris for stepping up.
"In a demonstration of true leadership, Randy graciously offered to come out of retirement to serve our community as the Fire Chief in the longer-term," McDonald said. "We are so fortunate to have Randy on our team, and I know he will continue to serve the community well."
Harris will manage the Fire Department's $18 million budget and lead a team of about 60 full-time employees.
Among his priorities will be planning for the construction of Fire Station 5, a project the city expects to move forward in the coming years.
Harris began his fire service career at San Luis Obispo County Airport Fire Station 21 in 1990.
He later became a paramedic and joined the City of Paso Robles Fire Department, where he served for 28 years, rising to Deputy Fire Chief before retiring.
