Fired or retired, depends on the source.
Sam Peña is out as Houston’s Fire Chief, Mayor John Whitmire said Friday.
The news was first reported by KPRC.
“(Peña) plans to retire,” Mayor John Whitmire told the TV station. “I thank him for his service. He has served us during some difficult times. I said during the campaign my department heads will have six months to prove themselves and I think it’s time to make a change. I think we can do better, in fact, we will do better.”
Peña told the TV station he had no conversations with Whitmire about the retirement. He could not be reached for comment Friday morning.
Peña, who has led the department since 2016, will be replaced by Tom Muñoz, who currently leads both the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Public Safety and Homeland Security office.
“Chief Muñoz is a strong leader dedicated to preparing and protecting Houstonians for emergencies,” Whitmire wrote in a Friday news release. “I believe he is the best emergency management coordinator in the country. He is experienced, knowledgeable, and widely respected. I have worked alongside him during the flooding in Kingwood, the derecho, Hurricane Beryl, and the winter freeze. I am confident that Chief Muñoz is the best person to lead the City’s fire department at this time.”
Muñoz called Whitmire a “no-nonsense leader who has supported our firefighters since day one.”
“I am committed to taking care of the residents of Houston, which must begin with taking care of the men and women of the Houston Fire Department,” Muñoz wrote in a Friday news release. “The work we do today will have a lasting impact for years to come, and I know that with this administration, we can improve the safety of all residents and future generations.”
The Houston Landing reported it as a firing. I’m sure the story will be gotten straight at some point. Either way, it is the Mayor’s prerogative to install the department heads they want, and the writing was on the wall regarding Chief Peña given the union’s dislike of him. New Chief Muñoz seems like a strong candidate and I’m sure he’ll do a good job. I wish him the best in the new gig, and I wish former Chief Peña all the best with whatever comes next. For more on the new chief see here, and for the reaction to the exit of the former chief see here.
Such an absolute relief to be able to work in an environment where you don’t feel like the leadership is working against you. I absolutely support the change and hiring from within the department was the right choice. There’s no reason to go outside the department when there’s perfectly qualified people like Chief Muñoz.
Goodbye Sam Peña.
David, why do first responders unions tend to support Donald Trump?
“I said during the campaign my department heads will have six months to prove themselves and I think it’s time to make a change. I think we can do better, in fact, we will do better.”
Maybe it’s just me but that doesn’t sound like the man wanted to retire, it sounded like the Mayor was just too weak to fire him to his face. In the 8 years since Pena started the position, the firemen hated him, demanded he be replaced by one of their own, and found no operational reason for him to depart. They summed it up that he was Mayor Turner’s company man.
He was qualified for the position but I doubt anyone thought he was going to stay given the discussion about the new contract provisions for who could be Fire Chief. One term Whitmire strikes again.
I am not an authority on your inquiry. I’m just happy to get a new fire chief.
Pena had no respect among the firefighters, and that’s no secret.
I am regretting my vote for Whitmire the city has some wonderful first responders but the citizens of Houston will foot the bill for all that money they will get sad to say