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Chief Engineers - Chiefs of Department:

You can view a chronological listing of Chief Engineers & Chiefs of Department, or you can view individual Chiefs' pages by clicking on a name below.

Charles H. Ackerson Charles P. Duane William F. Murray Albert J. Sullivan
Charles J. Brennan Joanne M. Hayes-White Jeanine Nicholson Dennis T. Sullivan
Keith P. Calden George H. Hossefross James E. Nuttman Paul J. Tabacco
Andrew C. Casper Francis P. Kelly Edward J. Phipps Mario H. Trevino
Emmet C. Condon Frederick D. Kohler Frederick F. Postel Edward P. Walsh
Robert L. Demmons Joseph A. Medina David Scannell Franklin E. R. Whitney
John H. Dougherty Thomas R. Murphy Patrick H. Shaughnessy  
       
CHIEF ENGINEERS & CHIEFS OF DEPARTMENT
of the San Francisco Fire Department
Year
Sworn In Date
Name
Resigned, Replaced or Retired
1849-51
December 26, 1849
Frederick D. Kohler
Salary per month: $250.00
August 25, 1851
October 19, 1850
November 3, 1851
1851
November 3, 1851
* Franklin E. R. Whitney
Resigned in ill health
November 17, 1851
1851-53
December 6, 1851
December 6, 1852
October1, 1853
1853-55
October 1, 1853
Charles P. Duane
Acting Chief Engineer
December 3, 1853
December 3, 1853
* Charles P. Duane
Elected Chief Engineer
December 3,1855
1855-56
December 3, 1855
* James E. Nuttman
December 3, 1856
1856-60
December 1, 1856
December 1, 1857
* Franklin E. R. Whitney
Re-elected, three year term
December 3, 1860
1860-66
December 3, 1860
December 7, 1863
* David Scannell
Re-elected, three year term
October 6, 1866
1866-70
October 6, 1866
July 20, 1870
1870-71
July 20, 1870
April 3, 1871
1871-73
April 3, 1871
April, 1873
1873
April 22, 1873
December 1, 1873
1873-93
March 16, 1874
David Scannell
(Died in Office)
March 30, 1893
1893-1906
March 30, 1893
Dennis T. Sullivan
(Died in the Line of Duty,
April 18, 1906)
April 22, 1906
1906
April 18, 1906
June 15, 1906
1906-10
June 15, 1906
March 16, 1910
1910-29
February 8, 1910
Thomas R. Murphy
Died in Office
November 4, 1929
1929-43
November 9, 1929
March, 1943
1943-48
March 17, 1943
1948-53
January 21, 1948
August 21, 1953
1953-56
August 21, 1953
December 16, 1956
1956-71
December 16, 1956
January 4, 1971
1971-76
January 4, 1971
1976-82
1982-86
March 5, 1988
1986-88
December 28, 1986 
February 1, 1988
1988-92
Frederick F. Postel
July 21, 1992
1992-96
January 13, 1996
1996-2000
January 16, 1996
July 27, 2000
2000-01
Paul J. Tabacco
*** Temporary
August 1, 2001
2001-04
August 1, 2001
January 7, 2004
2004-19
January 16, 2004
May 5, 2019
 
 
 
 
2019
May 6, 2019
 
 
* Elected by the popular vote of the department members.
All other Chiefs were appointed by the Alcalde or Mayor and in later years, the Fire Commission of the City and County of San Francisco.
** In 1906 the Town Council made James Dougherty the acting Chief Engineer of the department.
*** In 2000, when the Deputy Chief of Department Paul Tabacco was assigned to the “temporary” position of Chief of Department, he was paid the salary of the Chief of Department.  If he had been assigned as the “acting” Chief of Department he would not have received the pay of the higher rank.

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