Your leadership has created a culture where the priorities of this department feel fundamentally misaligned with the people who actually keep it running. Staffing shortages continue to be treated as an inconvenience rather than a serious operational risk, placing unnecessary strain on crews and compromising both morale and effectiveness.

Instead of advocating for the firefighters you lead, you appear more focused on appeasing administrative interests. Decisions that should be grounded in safety, fairness, and long-term sustainability instead come across as efforts to satisfy the city manager at the expense of your own personnel. That approach erodes trust quickly—and trust is something this job cannot function without.

Leadership in the fire service requires backbone—especially when it means standing up for your people in difficult conversations. Right now, what’s missing is advocacy, accountability, and a demonstrated commitment to those on the front lines. Until those elements are present, it’s hard to see how confidence in your leadership can be restored.