Coronado Names New Fire Chief

CORONADO, CA – Coronado has named Jim Lydon as the city's new fire chief. Lydon currently serves as fire chief of the city of Benicia in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Lydon has nearly 40 years of experience, first serving in the city of San Rafael and progressing through the ranks from dispatcher to battalion chief. During his four-year tenure as fire chief of Benicia, the council appointed Lydon as acting city manager while recruiting for the position.

Lydon holds a master’s degree from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Cogswell Polytechnical College. He maintains an active paramedic license and possesses multiple professional certifications in the fields of emergency response and incident management.

Lydon was selected as Coronado's new fire chief after an extensive recruitment process. The city received applications from 48 prospective candidates. Three separate panels of the city manager and fire service professionals interviewed selected finalists. Lydon was also subject to a comprehensive background check.

Lydon succeeds retiring Coronado Fire Chief Mike Blood. Blood announced his retirement in May after serving the city for 28 years.

The new fire chief will start on Oct. 10. His initial base salary will be approximately $189,000 annually.

Image via city of Coronado