Murray names new fire chief; will be tasked with hiring diverse workforce

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Mayor Ed Murray introduced Glendale, California, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins on Wednesday as the new fire chief in Seattle.

Subject to City Council approval, he'll start April 1 with a salary of $205,000 a year.

Scoggins replaces Chief Gregory Dean who retired at the end of last year after a decade leading Seattle firefighters.

Scoggins is a 25-year veteran of the Los Angeles-area fire department who had been chief since 2008.

Murray is directing Scoggins to recruit a diverse workforce as he fills 80 vacancies in Seattle. The department has more than 1,100 employees, 33 stations and an annual budget of $178 million.