Houston Fire Chief resigns

WASILLA — Houston Fire chief Tom Hood has submitted his resignation, city officials said.

Hood — a Houston Volunteer Fire Department fixture for decades — declined to discuss his resignation publicly.

“I can’t talk about it yet,” he said. “It’s just too personal.”

Mayor Virgie Thompson said the resignation was the unfortunate result of a recent personal tragedy. Hood was left without a home after his long-time residence was severely damaged by a June 10 fire.

“He (Hood) basically lost his home last month in the fire,” Thompson said. “It’s been a struggle for him taking care of his family with winter coming on, and he was finding it difficult to commit to both 100 percent.”

Thompson said officials would likely begin advertising the position Monday afternoon, with the position expected to close on July 25. The decision to resign permanently, rather than to seek a temporary leave of absence, was Hood’s, Thompson said.

“He just elected to resign from his position,” she said. “It’s Entirely up to him. He didn’t request that the city hold his position.”

Under Hood’s tenure, the department had accomplished a higher International Standards Organization (ISO) rating, reducing fire insurance bills for area homeowners. Hood also helped fight the devastating 1996 Miller’s Reach forest fire, and oversaw his department’s early response to last year’s Sockeye Fire. Finding a qualified replacement would be difficult, Thompson said.

“There needs to be somebody extremely qualified to take his position,” she said.

The position is advertised at between $40,000 and $42,000 per year annual salary with health insurance, Thompson said.

Hood would also be missed, Thompson said.

“It’s just unfortunate,” she said. “We’re losing a valuable asset.”

Contact reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.