Former Oakland fire chief resigns from top San Rafael job

San Rafael’s fire chief has stepped down, the city said.

Darin White was Oakland’s top fire official when he took over for former San Rafael fire chief Chris Gray, who retired in 2019. Abraham Roman, a deputy chief in charge of operations, has been named acting chief, according to the city.

White said he stepped down to “pursue new ways to make communities safer,” according to a city newsletter sent Friday. He did not respond to a request for comment.

“We will miss him for sure, and we appreciate his tenure that he had here,” Roman said Tuesday.

John Bagala, the president of Marin Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1775, said he and White worked together on the issue of firefighter occupational cancer. In January, the city and the union honored retired San Rafael fire battalion chief Paul Crimmins, whose death at 61 was attributed to occupational cancer, he noted.

“We definitely wish Chief White the best of luck in his future endeavors,” Bagala said.

White’s resignation is effective March 31, San Rafael Assistant City Manager Angela Robinson Piñon said. He will work on projects under the city attorney’s direction during the transition period, she said. Piñon did not have further information on what those projects will involve.

White took command in San Rafael in 2020. He signed a four-year contract that started him at an initial salary of $193,814. White will be paid a lump sum cash severance in the amount of 18 months’ salary, exclusive of pension costs, Piñon said.

Roman takes over a department with nearly 70 firefighters staffing seven fire stations in San Rafael and Marinwood. The 30-year fire service veteran came to San Rafael last year after serving as Berkeley’s fire chief for 14 months. He working for that city’s fire department for 23 years.

“The leadership may change a little bit, but the mission never changes,” Roman said.

“We’re constantly trying to stay ahead of the wave of hiring — that’s been a conflict in the fire service not just in California, but in the nation at this point, so we’re no different,” he said.

“The priority is obviously the community,” Roman said. “In order to have a good service for the community, you need firefighters that are hyper-focused on being positive, productive, and healthy.”

Bagala noted the challenges of recruiting high-level candidates and retaining firefighters in San Rafael. He added that the department had many staff members leave for higher-paying agencies.

“It puts a lot of stress for existing people on the job, and it will be one of the things that Abe will have to tackle,” he said.