The San Antonio Fire Department responds to a blaze. Credit: Photo courtesy of the San Antonio Fire Department

Following a nationwide multi-month search, Deputy Chief Valerie Frausto has been selected to be the first woman to lead the San Antonio Fire Department, according to the City Manager’s Office.

City Council is expected to approve Frausto’s appointment during its meeting on Oct. 31.

City Manager Erik Walsh decided to hire Frausto to lead the city’s more than 2,000 firefighters after a nationwide search that netted 65 applicants. At the end of the day, however, Walsh said Frausto was the right woman for the job.

“Her diverse experience has given her a deep understanding of the department, and her commitment to prioritizing the health, wellness, and safety of our firefighters has been instrumental in attracting and retaining top talent to SAFD,” Walsh said in a statement. “Her vision of the department built on a culture of diversity, inclusion, and transparency make her the ideal choice to lead the fire department into the future.”

Frausto joined SAFD in 2000 and spent five years as a firefighter before spending three years in the department’s EMS division. She then returned to SAFD’s firefighter division, spending seven years as a lieutenant, captain, and battalion chief.

“It is an honor to serve this community,” Frausto said in a press release. “This opportunity represents not only a significant milestone in my career but also a commitment to the safety and well-being of both residents and firefighters. Public safety is a team effort, and I look forward to working alongside our brave firefighters, dedicated staff, and community leaders.”

Frausto has served as SAFD’s interim chief since January after longtime Chief Charles Hood retired.

Hood was pushed into early retirement after an independent investigation found that he had made several inappropriate workplace comments, including using the phrase “pussy always wins.”

That wasn’t the first time Hood has been at the center of controversy, however.

In 2020, the city investigated Hood’s conduct after photos resurfaced of him eating sushi off a naked woman’s body at a party. In the wake of the incident, Hood said his staff would develop a training course to recognize and validate other cultures.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed  

Related Stories

This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...