The new chief of the Honolulu Fire Department said Thursday he will consider a merger of its functions with those of the Department of Emergency Services.
Manuel P. Neves, 58, a former HFD assistant chief, will be returning to Oahu after a stint as fire chief at Barking Sands on Kauai.
He succeeds Kenneth Silva, who retired in December.
Neves will be in charge of more than 1,100 firefighters and 44 fire stations on Oahu and a budget that in fiscal 2012 was more than $95 million. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon at Honolulu Hale.
Neves was chosen after serving as fire chief for the Barking Sands Fire Department at the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
He became an assistant chief in the Honolulu Fire Department in 2006 and retired from the department in 2011 to assume the position on Kauai.
Neves said he’s been away from the Honolulu Fire Department for about 18 months and will be re-evaluating various plans for expansion.
"We have to continue to provide the superior services that we have in the past, all the while looking for improvement and expansion of services," he said.
In his review he said he will give "high priority" to looking at a merger of services provided by the Fire Department and Department of Emergency Services.
The Emergency Services Department had a budget of about $34 million in fiscal 2012.
Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said in the past that fire officials have looked at improving the efficiency of emergency services.
Neves, 58, a 1972 graduate of Damien High School, joined the Honolulu Fire Department in 1979 and worked his way up through the ranks as a firefighter, rescue captain and battalion chief before becoming an assistant chief in 2006.
He earned an associate degree in fire science, bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in public administration from the University of Hawaii.
He completed programs at the National Fire Academy and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
Honolulu Fire Commission Chairman Quentin K. Kawananakoa said nine candidates for the job were interviewed, and all were strong applicants.
"The commissioners unanimously agreed that Chief Neves stood out as being the most qualified person to lead the Honolulu Fire Department now and into the future," Kawananakoa said.
"We are confident that he will successfully build upon the accomplishments of Chief Kenneth Silva and past fire chiefs, and ensure that Honolulu continues to have one of the very finest fire departments in the nation."
Neves is the 34th fire chief to serve in the Honolulu Fire Department, established in 1851 under the Hawaiian monarchy and the oldest American fire department west of the Rockies.
Neves is the third fire chief to be selected by the Fire Commission, a body that was mandated to select the fire chief under changes in the City Charter in 1996. The Honolulu mayor appoints the five-member commission.
Silva’s retirement came after 35 years of service, including seven as fire chief.
