 She stands 5 feet tall. She’s thin. And she’s a woman. Barbara Salas doesn’t fit some people’s stereotype of what a fire chief looks like. But Friday, she’ll take the oath of office as Santa Fe’s first female fire chief. Salas will take over for the retiring Chris Rivera, who’s been with the department for 22 years. Despite her short stature, she commands the respect of just about everyone in the department. And those firefighters are practically all men. Bossing around men? No problem, says the 36-year-old lifetime Santa Fean. “I’m not concerned about that,” Salas said. “I’ve come up through the ranks with them. I was always treated with respect, and I’ve always treated others with respect. It has never been an issue. “I’m honored,” she continued. “They (firefighters) joke that I’m one of the guys.” Initially, working with all that heavy firefighting equipment proved challenging, she said. But she worked out and showed her brethren she could do everything they could. She also went on what’s called a third ride with the fire department to see what it was like to be a firefigher or paramedic. That impressed Rivera. “She’s very determined,” he said of his replacement. Lots of people come in and say they want to do a third ride, not many follow through, Rivera said. Salas started at the Santa Fe Fire Department in 1995. For her first 10 years, she worked as a firefighter/paramedic.
“I always wanted to be a paramedic,” she said. That itch began when Salas worked full-time as a lifeguard at a city pool and saved a person’s life. “I felt like it was a calling.” As she saved the little girl’s life, she felt in control, unlike others around her who seemed terribly anxious and worried. Later, she turned to fire inspections and is now the fire marshal. Rivera, whose father also was a Santa Fe firefighter, joined the department in 1987, a week after his dad retired. Salas and Rivera say they see the job of fire chief as supporting their staff, making sure they’re safe. “You have to give people the resources they need — and sometimes that’s just the OK — and get out of the way,” Rivera said. Salas heaps praise on her soon-to-be-former boss. Rivera spends time with fire crews, runs calls with them and makes sure the fire department is visible in the community. That stands in contrast to some previous chiefs, who preferred a lower profile, Salas said. Through the years, Rivera has noticed numerous changes at the fire department. Former Chief Tom Broome moved the department into the medical field in the early 1980s. “It propelled us light years ahead,” Rivera said. Later, Chief Peter Duran led an effort to make the fire department all paid. It had been a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters. Rivera also remembers people who lived and died in the blazes he’s helped fight through his career. He ticks off a list that includes a building explosion on Cerrillos Road. They saved a woman who was trapped inside. “I delivered three babies in the field,” Rivera recalls proudly. Mayor David Coss has high praise for Salas. “Barbara Salas has a vision for education and outreach to the community,” Coss said in a prepared statement. “As a woman, Barbara Salas had to work very hard to qualify as a firefighter. She has proven not only that she is competent and fit for the job but that she has what it takes to lead the department.” Now it’s time for Salas to lead, and many challenges lie ahead. The primary one she sees is the city’s proposed annexations of thousands of acres of county property. That means thousands of additional people coming into the city by fall 2010. “We keep asking for more people, trucks and stations,” Salas said. With the city running short on cash, the new chief is applying for grants to pay for what will be needed to fight fires and help save patients. Speaking of money, Rivera makes $117,004 a year as fire chief, according to city figures. Salas’ salary will go up from $96,297 to $117,004. And speaking of new jobs, Salas will hire two assistant fire chiefs. All three of the existing assistant fire chiefs retired, and the city is not filling one of those slots. Rivera, 43, plans to go to Disneyland immediately after his retirement, spending time with his wife and four daughters. He graduated from St. Michael’s High School and spent two years at the College of Santa Fe. After the vacation, he plans to go back to Highlands University to get his teaching certificate and teach math and history in high school. Salas, who graduated from Santa Fe High School, is married and has a 3-year-old son. Contact Brad Buck at
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