Logan Sworn In As New San Diego Fire Chief

Even before he was officially sworn in as the 19th fire chief in San Diego's history on Saturday, the number held special meaning for Robert Logan.

The first African Americans were hired as firefighters in 1919, Logan said during his inauguration ceremony at Bayview Church in San Diego, not far from where he grew up in Lincoln Park.

The first fire station to be desegregated was Station No. 19, in 1951, he said. And the same Ocean View Boulevard fire station was the new chief's first station.

“No one succeeds alone, and the strength of our department lies in our unity,” Logan, 51, said in his acceptance speech to hundreds of friends, colleagues, politicians and members of the public. “Our teamwork is the foundation upon which we will build our future successes.”

Every pew inside the historic house of worship was filled with well-wishers and witnesses to the new history of San Diego Fire-Rescue, the sprawling agency responsible for putting out fires, responding to ambulance calls and patrolling the shores of area beaches.

When it came time for Logan to have his chief's badge pinned to the front of his freshly pressed uniform, he turned to Benny Holman, the first San Diego firefighter to break the color barrier and work alongside white colleagues.

Holman, who began working for the department in 1951 and rose to the rank of deputy chief before retiring in 1983, remained seated on one of the front benches as he delivered the honor.

Logan, who worked for 24 years with the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department, will now oversee a department with a budget of $467 million and some 1,400 employees.

He rose from firefighter to fire engineer, fire captain, battalion chief and finally deputy chief. He was appointed to the position by Mayor Todd Gloria in June from a pool of more than 70 candidates from across the country after Chief Colin Stowell announced his retirement after 34 years with the department.

“He knows San Diego because he’s a San Diego native,” Gloria said. “His leadership and vision will take the department into the future. With San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl and Fire and Rescue Chief Robert Logan, we have the Dream Team for public safety.”

Gerard Washington, who was hired as Vista's fire chief last year, said he received a surprise email from Logan during his first weeks on the job. He quickly accepted an invitation from San Diego's deputy fire chief to meet with him.

“It says a lot about him that he reached out,” the Vista chief said. “We quickly became friends.”

Annie Lyles, executive director of the nonprofit Aaron Price Fellows, said the entire San Diego community supports Logan, but everyone understands the challenge won't be easy.

“It’s not just about glamour. It’s about courage,” Lyles said of the responsibility Logan had to shoulder. “Think of us at every moment, we’re with you. That’s what we swear to do today.”

Originally published: August 24, 2024 at 4:07 p.m.