Selection of Latrobe’s fire chief will follow an appointment process similar to that used in naming the city’s other department heads.

That’s the upshot of a code amendment city council approved this week, ending a practice of considering the results of firefighter votes for the department’s top line officer.

“This is taking it away from being a popularity contest,” Councilman Jim Kelley said.

According to the new code language, the city manager will be solely responsible for recommending a fire chief candidate for appointment by council, “based upon a formal selection process.”

In the event the chief position is vacated by a resignation or removal, the manager will recommend a candidate to serve as acting fire chief, City Manager Michael Gray said. Council will name an acting chief until it appoints a new chief, each preceded by the manager’s recommendation.

As part of the newly defined selection process, fire chief candidates will be weighed against a list of recently updated job qualifications.

Chief candidates must reside within the city or within a 5-mile radius of Latrobe’s central fire station, which is in the municipal building at Jefferson and Main streets.

They must have at least 10 years of firefighting experience, including five continuous years with the Latrobe department.

They also must have completed at least entry-level firefighter training and National Incident Management System training as well as classes on fire ground operations; hazardous materials awareness and operations; basic and advanced vehicle rescue; fire engine pump truck and aerial truck operation; and fire and arson investigation.

The change in the chief selection process was among recommendations in a report submitted to council last month by Nick Sohyda, chief of the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department.

Sohyda also suggested consolidating the department from five stations to three and having Latrobe firefighters dispatched by the county 911 center instead of by department staff.

Councilman Ralph Jenko asked that council meet with and solicit input from representatives of the fire department before pursuing any of the additional recommendations in the report.

“Let’s find out what works best for the city,” he said. “The recommendations may or may not apply. I didn’t view that report as a punch list.”

Gray said the report’s recommendations are from “a guy that understands fire departments” and are meant to enhance the Latrobe department’s sustainability and efficiency while looking at ways to recruit new firefighters and retain those already in the ranks.

“Member retention is very hard with fire departments,” Gray said.

He suggested serving on a committee to explore the report’s recommendation, with additional members including representatives from council and the fire department.

Mayor Rosie Wolford, who did not seek reelection, suggested the committee be formed after the new mayor and new council members begin their terms in January.

Fire Chief John Brasile said he has in mind candidates to represent the fire department on the panel.

The budget is among aspects of the department that should be reviewed, Gray said. He said Brasile has done a good job containing spending. But, Gray said, “Expenditures are always outpacing the revenue we get.

“We need to work together as a team.”

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