FIRE CHIEF, from page 1 Hone appointed as new chief
By Daily Press staff
Santa Monica has a new fire chief. City Manager Susan McCarthy on Monday announced the appointment of Santa Monica Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Jim Hone as the city’s new fire chief, effective Oct. 10.
Hone, who has been with the fire department since 1980 and has 30 years’ experience in the fire service, succeeds recently retired Chief Ettore Berardinelli.
“Chief Hone has been part of the Santa Monica firefighting community for more than two decades and has developed a solid reputation for the breadth of his knowledge and experience in the fire service,” McCarthy said. “I know that he will step into Chief Berardinelli’s shoes without a misstep because he has, by mastering and advancing through the ranks, earned the respect of his fellow firefighters and citizens throughout our community.”
Hone started as a firefighter and paramedic in 1980. In 1983, he was promoted to fire captain/paramedic and in 1988 became the hazardous materials captain. Named assistant fire chief and fire marshal in 1995, Hone oversaw the Santa Monica Fire Department’s fire prevention division, and hazardous materials response and urban search and rescue programs.
A trainer and instructor, Hone is affiliated with numerous fire and emergency service agencies, including the California Office of Emergency Services, the Los Angeles Area Fire Marshal’s Association, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search and Rescue Response System. As part of the FEMA team, he spent two weeks helping coordinate disaster response following the Oklahoma City bombing and 10 days assisting with disaster site management following the World Trade Center attack in New York City.
Check the Daily Press this week for an interview with Hone, which will detail his plans for the department.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 7, 2003. Read the original PDF.