Oakland, CA – Today Oakland Fire Chief Darin White announced two key appointments whose expertise and experience will advance the Chief’s efforts to further strengthen and build his executive leadership team: Toshia Shavies Marshall is the new Emergency Manager of the Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Services, and William Weisgerber, Jr. is the Interim Fire Marshal.
“Oakland’s work on emergency preparedness grows stronger every day,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “Chief White has made two stellar additions to his team in the areas of fire prevention and emergency preparedness and response. These two leaders will help ensure that on behalf of all residents, the Oakland Fire Department is responsive, efficient, and accountable to meet the public safety needs of our community.”
An Oakland native, Toshia Shavies Marshall has made strong contributions to the aviation and emergency management professions for more than 15 years, representing both the private and public sectors, with an emphasis in airline and airport emergency program and project management, operations, safety, and security. She has most recently served on the City and County of San Francisco’s Emergency Management team at the San Francisco International Airport.
Ms. Marshall is an experienced emergency manager who brings hands-on expertise providing leadership during two airline emergency response operations during her career. In July 2013, when Flight #214 struck a seawall short of the runway at SFO, Ms. Marshall supported emergency first responders and assisted with continuity of operations prior to the Airport regaining full operational capacity. Seven years earlier, while working as an Emergency Response Manager at Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Ms. Marshall led and managed the airlines’ Emergency Operations Center (EOC) following the August 2006 crash of Flight #5191.
Ms. Marshall holds a BS in Mass Communications from Norfolk State University. Her family has lived in and contributed to Oakland for more than 70 years. She has recently completed two, three-year terms on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC). She assumes her new role on May 21.
Chief Darin White said, “Toshia will bring a strong work ethic, energy, enthusiasm, and the disposition needed to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from catastrophic and other emergency events in our community.”
Chief White also appointed William Weisgerber as Interim Fire Marshal to oversee the Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau. Mr. Weisgerber brings more than 40 years of experience with fire service, public safety management, and strategic planning expertise. He retired as Fire Chief of the Milpitas Fire Department, following a 30-year career with that department where he applied his professional skills in a variety of capacities as he promoted up the ranks. For the past 10 years, he has served as fire chief and public safety consultant for numerous organizations, including Stockton, West Sacramento, and Davis/UC Davis.
“During my career, I have managed a distinctive range of organizational issues and professional challenges, including leading agencies in times of change,” Weisgerber said.
His past significant Fire Marshal accomplishments include serving as director of a full-service fire prevention bureau overseeing multiple disciplines, and coordinating with Building and Planning departments to provide “one-stop” permit counter service, co-locating inspections and plan-checking, and streamlining permit processes, including plan-check capabilities.
As Interim Fire Marshal, Weisgerber will work closely with Chief White to optimize our inspection programs and evaluate inspection processes to incorporate best practices in fire prevention. He will oversee and provide guidance and mentoring to the Fire Prevention Bureau staff; work with the development community to identify and implement needed improvements and best practices; work with staff from the departments of Planning & Building and Transportation to devise procedures to provide timely, efficient, transparent, and coordinated communications between these organizations; develop recommendations regarding the re-design of the permit approval process; and support the Fire Chief with the recruitment and hiring of an ideal future Fire Marshal. He will begin his duties on May 7.
“Chief Weisgerber will be instrumental in the effort to provide strong leadership, perspective, structure, and the foundation needed for the Fire Prevention Bureau’s transformation into a well-regarded and high-performing Bureau,” said Chief White.
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