Charles Salazar, Fire Chief for the City of Orlando, is one of the city’s highest-paid employees.
Charles Salazar’s position is the highest rank in the Orlando Fire Department, and is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of Mayor Buddy Dyer. The Fire Chief’s immediate supervisor is the Chief Administrative Officer.
Per a recent West Orlando News public records request, Charles Salazar makes $228,051.20 of base pay on an annualized basis.
According to the records provided by the City of Orlando, the Fire Chief position:
- May assume command of any emergency operation he determines warrants his personal direction.
- Plans, assigns, and coordinates activities performed by a large group of employees engaged in varied emergency situation abatement.
- Provides executive leadership and administrative assistance to insure that Orlando continues to operate a professional, cost effective fire department.
- Coordinates the functions and operation of the Department in a manner consistent with City Policy.
- Ensures proper compilation, submission, and execution of operating and capital budgets for fiscal operations.
- Governs the research, development, implementation, and maintenance of programs and procedures causing efficient and orderly utilization of human and material resources.
- Supervises the planning, organization, and control of Fire Department Policy.
- Leads in setting Departmental goals and objectives.
- Delegates authority and responsibility to subordinates for goal achievement and accountability.
- Supervises Special Investigative Services to ensure proper investigation of fires, false alarms, bomb threats, and Department internal misconduct.
- Ensures the preparation and presentation of incendiary fire cases and other fire related crimes to the State Attorney for prosecution.
- Attends Civil Service Board Meetings.
- Conducts sufficient Fire Department Staff Meetings to ensure proper coordination and meeting of Departmental needs.
- Attends City Council meetings.
- Periodically visits Fire Department facilities to observe their condition and promote participatory management principles.
- Serves as Coordinator of the City of Orlando Disaster Preparedness Program.
- Responsible for budgetary control and compliance
- Responsible for department optimization and advancement of new initiatives to increase efficiency and contain cost.
- Responsible for developing staff for increased managerial responsibility and accountability including appropriate feed back.
- Required to make decisions under extremely stressful emergency conditions, occasionally such decisions are of life and death proportions.
- Must establish contact and work productively with other Department Heads in Orlando and other government agencies.
The records also listed the following “Knowledge, Skills and Abilities” necessary for the Fire Chief position in Orlando:
- Knowledge of goal achievement techniques and the government process.
- Technical knowledge to ensure the department maintains and/or obtains fire transport emergency operations and health related certifications.
- Capable of negotiating and resolving policy conflicts with other City Departments.
- Strong senior leadership skills.
- Ability to oversee sworn firefighters and civilian EMT’s and Paramedics.
- Ability to communicate effectively with the public.
Is this Fire Chief salary at the Orlando Fire Department worth it for taxpayers? Check here for more salaries of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s executive staff.
