Following Wednesday evening’s protocol, in which four candidates looking to take on the top spot at the Selma Fire Department (SFD) were interviewed publicly by a search committee made up of local business leaders, public safety workers and Selma City Council members, three more candidates interviewed for the position of Fire Chief at the George P. Evans Reception Hall Thursday evening.

The committee had planned to host two rounds of four interviews, but one candidate vying for the position – Shane Phillips, who previously served as chief of the Orange County Fire Department – has withdrawn his name from consideration.

Alton Green

Alton Green, who retired as a Battalion Chief with the SFD in 2017 and previously served as Lead Investigator for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, was the first to go before the committee Thursday night.

Green noted that the next chief of the SFD needs to consider the demographics of Selma when bolstering the department’s ranks, ensuring that local people are actively recruited.

“Understanding the demographics in Selma is going to be important,” Green said. “If you look at the demographics in Selma, it’s going to be about 75 percent black and the rest white. If we don’t invest in that…I think that, if that was targeted, we would have more firefighters and it would help the department.”

Green touted a basic knowledge of organizing a budget, having previously assisted former chiefs in drafting budgets to include updated equipment and pay close attention to overtime hours, and stated that he was “pretty familiar” with the purchase order process.

When asked about the top three issues currently facing the department, Green diverted from many of his colleagues – while he did mention the ongoing manpower shortage, Green’s concern was the threat to safety that the shortage causes.

“With such short manpower, you don’t have enough manpower for rescue situations,” Green said. “With the SFD having such low manpower, that’s an issue.”

Green noted that, at current levels, the department is ill-suited to address second and third-alarm fires, meaning that the department has to reconsider the ways it tackles blazes, avoiding internal firefights and sticking to the exterior of a structure.

Green also cited aging equipment as a top concern, as well as the need to get the department’s budget in order.

As far as the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, Green noted that many insurance companies and fire departments are putting less stock in the number, as it generally paints an inaccurate portrait of a department and its ability to serve its city.

Despite that, Green said that updating the department’s equipment would go a long way in improving the rating.

As far as recruitment efforts are concerned, Green echoed multiple candidates from Wednesday night’s proceeding in advocating for a high school cadet program, though Green’s plan includes training people up to age 24 through an outside institution.

“Future kids coming out of high school can look forward to having a career in the fire department,” Green said.

Green stated that he was “forced out” of the SFD after 24 years, which cost him 3-percent on his retirement compensation, but would not elaborate further on the details of the ouster.

Willie Mason

Willie Mason, who has worked in the SFD since 2002 and is currently serving as a Fire Investigator, was the next to take a seat across from the search committee.

After four years, Mason was promoted to sergeant and then, six years later, he was promoted to captain before being named an investigator last year.

“I’m committed,” Mason said when asked why he is the best candidate for the job. “I never stop learning. I’m dedicated, honest, and I will do a good job for the City of Selma.”

Mason admitted that he had minimal professional experience with drafting or overseeing budgets, though he took multiple college courses aimed at versing students in budget drafting, but felt confident that he was up to the task.

“I know how it works,” Mason said. “I realize, hey, you’ve got to know what you’ve got coming in, what you’ve got going out. The most important thing [is] I know you have to be a good steward of the public’s money.”

As far as the three biggest issues currently facing the department, Mason pointed first to the manpower shortage, noting that many firefighters are working 48-hour shifts and suffering a strain on their family lives.

The second issue, job satisfaction, stems from the first issue, Mason said, adding that firefighters are becoming frustrated because of their inability to be with their families and generally lead a life beyond the department.

Third, though not completely separate, Mason said, was the issue of competitive pay in the department.

Mason noted that an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program would likely boost salaries in the department, but the implementation of such a program would be a long-term goal, as it would require specialized training, vehicles and more.

In regard to the ISO rating, Mason noted that, in fact, the department’s rating had improved over the last year – no new evaluation has taken place since then, so the department is only one notch below the highest score possible, though that rating could be at risk due to the closure of a fire station and other issues plaguing the department.

According to Mason, new computers and a training facility would work wonders in seeing the city achieve that top rating.

Gabriel Sharpe

The final interview of the night was with Gabriel Sharpe, who is currently a captain with the SFD and has been with the department for more than 20 years.

“I know the men well,” Sharpe said when asked why he should be named chief. “I know the city well. Also, I feel like I can teach the young guys coming up about being firemen in the City of Selma. I was here when things were a lot better, I’ve been here when things got bad, so I know how to get us back.”

As far as budget and purchase order experience, Sharpe admitted that he had little.

Sharpe, like many interviewees before him, cited manpower as the biggest issue currently facing the department.

“Manpower is the number one issue,” Sharpe said. “We are very low on manpower. That’s the number one thing we have to take care of first.”

Sharpe also noted that the department was low on experience and had a need for further training, as well as the fact that there are a limited number of Dallas County recruits currently serving in the department.

In an effort to address that shortage, Sharpe echoed earlier sentiments of launching a ranger program in “every high school inside Dallas County,” which he said would ensure that at least a handful of recruits are integrated into the department’s ranks each year.

Manpower was also at the center of Sharpe’s solution for the rocky ISO rating – he claimed that “feet on the ground” is the number one factor in a decreased ISO rating and noted that the department also needs to get its ladder truck back in service.