SLO appoints new fire chief after national search
The city of San Luis Obispo has appointed a new fire chief after a monthslong nationwide search.
San Luis Obispo County fire service leader Randy Harris was selected for the top position at the SLO City Fire Department and will officially start the job on June 18, the city said in a news release. Harris has been serving in the city’s interim chief role since January.
Former SLO Fire Chief Todd Tuggle resigned in December after serving three years in the position.
In the release, Harris said he was looking forward to serving the SLO community and building strong leadership and relationships within the Fire Department.
“There are several critical Fire Department needs that will require solid leadership over the coming years, which is why I offered to continue leading our Fire Department team,” he said in the release.
Harris began his fire service career in 1990 at the SLO County airport Fire Station 21 before becoming a paramedic for the Paso Robles Fire Department. During his 28 years at the department, “he served in all ranks,” the release said. He retired as the city’s deputy fire chief in late 2025.
“In a demonstration of true leadership, Randy graciously offered to come out of retirement to serve our community as the fire chief in the longer term,” city manager Whitney McDonald said in the release. “We are so fortunate to have Randy on our team, and I know he will continue to serve the community well.”
The city of San Luis Obispo said it completed a national search to fill the fire chief position, but ultimately no one was chosen through the recruitment process.
As the new fire chief, Harris will manage the department’s $18 million budget and lead around 60 full-time employees, the city said.
