SAN DIEGO — Mayor Todd Gloria Wednesday named Deputy San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief Robert Logan II as the city's next fire chief.
“Deputy Chief Logan brings with him an exceptional blend of experience, leadership and vision that I believe is essential to guiding our department into the future," Gloria said.
The appointment follows a three-month search and is pending City Council approval in July, with Logan expected to take over for Chief Colin Stowell, who will retire in August.
Logan is a lifelong San Diegan and the deputy fire chief overseeing employee services. In this role, he supervises and manages six divisions within the SDFD, including recruitment, health and safety, community outreach, professional standards and training.
In his new role, Logan said he plans to reintroduce the fire department to the public. He said similar to an event called Coffee with a Cop, he wants to hold Volunteer with the Chief.
“I want to make this a collaborative thing, global thing and something that’s fun for the public," Logan said. "Just getting that sense of being involved, that’s very important to me.”
He said another goal is to catch up with technology.
“We’ll be looking at some creative ways to innovate our fire service, to not only assure that we are meeting our response times but that the citizens of San Diego are getting the services they deserve. That is very important to me,” Logan said.
Before his current role, Logan served as a deputy chief overseeing special operations -- with a wide purview including air operations, the metro arson strike team, the hazardous incident response team and the special events/emergency management team.
"Over his 24 years of service, Deputy Chief Logan has risen through the ranks of our department and demonstrated not only a profound understanding of the complexities of fire-rescue operations, but also a deep commitment to our community and the welfare of our Fire-Rescue employees," Gloria said. "I am confident that under his leadership, the department will be well-served, the city will be well-served, and we will be able to innovate and excel in providing emergency response services to our residents and visitors alike."
He began his career with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department as an emergency medical technician in 1999, then became a firefighter in 2000.
"I am deeply honored and grateful to be appointed by Mayor Gloria to be our city's next fire chief," Logan said. "Growing up, I faced numerous challenges that shaped my resolve, resilience, commitment to service, and a profound understanding of our community's needs and realities. I look forward to leading our dedicated Fire-Rescue Department team with integrity and compassion, and ensuring it remains a pillar of safety, support, and unity for all San Diegans."
According to the city, Logan is co-founder of Lincoln High School's Fire Protection Program and an active member of Women In Fire, a national organization dedicated to empowering women in the fire and emergency services field.
Logan earned his bachelor's degree from Southern New Hampshire University, his master's in emergency services management from Columbia Southern University as well as an executive chief fire officer certification.
Gloria was joined in announcing the appointment by Stowell and City Council members Henry Foster and Marni von Wilpert, chair of the city council's Public Safety Committee.
"It has been an honor to serve as the fire chief and lead the dedicated professionals of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department for the last six years," Stowell said. "I have full confidence that Chief Logan will continue the legacy of this great department and lead with his exceptional integrity, commitment to serving our communities, and collaboration with all of our public safety partners.
"Chief Logan has earned the respect of our members as well as community stakeholders, and brings a wealth of SDFD experience and institutional knowledge critical to his success as the next fire chief," he added.
Stowell served with the SDFD for 36 years.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego Fire-Rescue's new peak-hour engine reducing response times in East Village