Gerald Simon |
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| Fire Services Consultant | |||
| Gerald Simon - Consultant | |||
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Oakland, California, 94619, United States |
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About Gerald Simon
Gerald Simon - Professional Summary:
Currently a volunteer teacher and mentor at the Executive Development Institute at Dillard University, former Fire Chief Gerald Simon commands an impressive resume of both professional and philanthropic achievements. He served as Fire Chief for a combination paid/volunteer Fire Department in Santa Clara, California, from 1993 to 1999. From 1999 to 2004, he held the dual role of Fire Chief and Director of Homeland Security in Oakland, California. Between 2005 and 2007, Mr. Simon served as Interim Fire Chief in Union City, California, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In his current position at Dillard University in New Orleans, Mr. Simon improves opportunities for emerging fire service leaders. This is not his first foray into volunteering. Gerald Simon has donated his time and talent to various philanthropic organizations for almost three decades. His contributions to his community have ranged from coaching children and adults in various sports to developing policies and budgets.
Incorporating the leadership skills amassed through his years of professional development, Gerald Simon has served on the boards of the following organizations: Goodwill Industries International, Inc., the Centre for Living with Dying at the Bill Wilson Center in Santa Clara, and the Violence Prevention Board for the City of Oakland. During his time as Fire Chief in Santa Clara, Gerald Simon sat on the Board of the Mission City Community Fund, a group dedicated to raising funds for the Salvation Army as well as local charities. From 1997 to 2000, he fulfilled the role of Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County. During his term, Gerald Simon was recognized with the Cearley-Adam Award for outstanding mentorship.
In the professional realm, Gerald Simon has volunteered as the Corresponding Secretary of the Black Chief Officers Committee of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters. Furthermore, he served as President for the Fire Chiefs Section of the League of California Cities and sat on its Board of Directors. Today, he serves on the St. Ignatius College Preparatory Board of Regents.
Gerald Simon - Professional Experience: Fire Services Consultant
As an accomplished fire professional, Gerald Simon earned placement on a number of international delegations. In Russia, he introduced principles of critical-incident stress management; he also examined the options for reducing fire deaths and bolstering adherence to fire code in a delegation to China. In the United Kingdom, Gerald Simon participated in a program to enhance workplace diversity and gender equality in the London Fire Brigade.
2006 – 2007: Interim Fire Chief – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Fire Chief for a full service, all risk metropolitan fire, rescue, and ocean rescue department, encompassing 13 fire stations, 450 personnel, and a $65 million budget.
- Significant accomplishments included: introducing community-based fire services to the department and to city leadership; restored balance to a department with significant labor/management issues
- Settled significant hostile work environment claims; implementing Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for all divisions within the department; implement a 6-month firefighter recruitment initiative to increase diversity within the fire department; serving as a member of the negotiations team that completed an MOU contract with the labor group.
2005 – 2006: Interim Fire Chief – Union City, California
- Provided interim fire chief services in a charged political environment during the removal of the fire chief.
- Disaster Preparedness Coordinator – Trained all executive staff members on disaster preparedness, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) deployment, and conducted terrorism drills.
- Significant accomplishments included: introducing community-based fire services to the department and to the city; restored balance to challenged labor/management relations; implementing an emotional wellness program (CISM) for the entire workforce; implementing strategies to increase the diversity in the workforce; revamping the employee Performance Management System; assuming Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) responsibilities from the Public Works to the Fire Department.
1999 – 2004: Fire Chief / Director of Homeland Security – Oakland, California
- Fire Chief for a full service, all risk metropolitan municipal fire department, which encompassed 25 fire stations, a 600-person workforce, and a budget of $104 million.
- Director of Homeland Security, responsible for Emergency Operations Center, Disaster Preparedness initiative and training for city staff, Disaster Preparedness initiatives for citizens (CORE program), protection of airport, water port, bridges, wild land urban interface, subway (BART), and protection of both hard and soft target hazards.
- Acting City Manager – In the absence of the city manager, had full charge of the city, its agency directors, the budget, managing relationships with city council members, terminations and public information dissemination to the citizens.
- Significant accomplishments included: initiating 4 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations; implementing Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic programs; conducting and implementing a 10-year strategic planning process for the Oakland Fire Department; assuring that arson was reduced 56% in 5 years; continuing disaster preparedness training for the citizen of Oakland (CORE) with more than 12,000 residents trained; launching a successful ballot initiative with the voters to support vegetation management program to protect the wild land urban interface (WUI); implementing a top down performance management system, saving better than $20 million in workers compensation reforms; successfully completing negotiations on 2 MOU’s (labor contracts) with the Fire Union, completing a fire station replacement; conducting leadership training and team building initiatives within the fire department and the City of Oakland.
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
Graduate Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government (1999)
San Jose State University
Master of Public Administration – 6 units completed (1999)
California State Fire Academy
Fire Science Instructor - Lifetime Credential; Executive Development (1994)
Santa Clara University
Bachelor of Science Degree: Political Science (1972-76)
HONORS/AWARDS
Fire Chief of the Year- Jim Shearn Award- EDI 2006
Instructor Award – Executive Development Institute – 2001
League of California Cities - Distinguished Service Award - 1998
Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County - Cearley-Adam Award (Mentorship) - 1998
Santa Clara County Black Firefighters Association - Appreciation Award - 1998
Fire Chiefs Magazine - Asilomar Seminar - Published Article 1997
Honored Member - National Directory of Who's Who in Exec. and Professionals - 1994-95
Board of Fellows - Past Member - Santa Clara University - 1991-1994
911-Communications Operations Manager's Assn. - Outstanding Contribution Award
Most Likely to Succeed - Santa Clara University
Bronze Medalist – Player & Coach in Firefighters Olympics (Basketball)
INTERESTS & HOBBIES
Serving my community; mentoring, visiting every MLB baseball park; traveling, fishing.
Coaching, 27 years - men, women, children in baseball, football, basketball, soccer, rugby and volleyball.
Gerald Simon Links
