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President’s Nominee for U.S. Fire Administrator Has Confirmation Hearing

Published Date: 10.25.2011

On October 5, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) held the confirmation hearing for Chief Ernie Mitchell, President Obama’s nominee to be the next Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). In his opening statements, HSGAC Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-CT) expressed his support for Mitchell’s nomination.

“Clearly, Chief Mitchell understands firefighting and the needs of firefighters,” said Lieberman. “Over the more than 33 years he has spent working for the fire service, Chief Mitchell has clearly learned the details of his profession. He started his career mapping wildland fires for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and later joined the City of Compton fire department where he served as a firefighter, fire inspector, arson investigator, fire captain, fire marshal, battalion chief, and special assistant to the city manager. He subsequently served as the fire chief for the Morovia and Pasadena fire departments.”

Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) expressed support for Mitchell as well but also asked the nominee about statements that Mitchell made in 2004 testifying in front of the House Science Committee in which he indicated that fire chiefs needed to have the ability to restrict their career firefighters’ off-duty activities, potentially including volunteering as firefighters, in the event that it affected their on-the-job performance. Mitchell responded that he does believe fire chiefs should be able to regulate career firefighters’ off-duty activities on a case-by-case basis if it becomes necessary based on their job performance. He also said that he supports the right of career firefighters to volunteer when they are off-duty. Additionally, he indicated that would not take any action in his position as Fire Administrator to prevent USFA employees from volunteering as firefighters or to generally discourage the practice of career firefighters volunteering during off-duty hours.

Mitchell is expected to be confirmed by the Senate, which is currently in recess, in the near future.

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