Javier Mainar Becomes San Diego's 16th Fire Chief

(October 19, 2009) The San Diego City Council today confirmed Mayor Jerry Sanders' appointment of Javier Mainar as the City's next Fire Chief.

Mainar joined the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department in 1980 and has spent 29 years at the Department; the past three years as Assistant Fire Chief for Support Services. In that capacity, he oversaw Logistics, Fire Communications, Fire Prevention and Fiscal and Administrative Services.

Chief Mainar’s former assignments were as firefighter through Battalion Chief in Operations; a supervising fire and bomb investigator with the Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST); Human Resources Officer; and Plans Officer for the Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR).

During the October 2007 wildfires, Mainar was the City’s Incident Commander, directing the firefighting operations within the city in the largest wildfire in San Diego’s history.

As Chief, he will direct a department of more than 1200 people with a budget just under $200,000,000. Mainar's salary will be $166,000.

Mainar has an Associate degree in Fire Science from Miramar College and a B.A. in Public Administration from San Diego State University. Chief Mainar is 52 years old, married and has three children; a 21 year old son who is currently enrolled in the San Diego Fire Academy with hopes of joining the department, and two daughters, 15 and 11. They live in Rancho San Diego.

Watch the Mayor and Chief's News Conference, October 13, 2009.