Valerie Frausto tapped to lead SAFD in the future
Published on October 24, 2024
SAN ANTONIO (October 24, 2024) – San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh has appointed Deputy Chief Valerie Frausto as the next Chief of the San Antonio Fire Department, effective November 1, 2024. Following a nationwide search that netted over 65 applicants, Chief Frausto emerged as the ideal candidate due to her exceptional leadership of all aspects of the Fire Department and her undying commitment to serving the community in which she was born and raised.
“I have the outmost confidence in Chief Frausto’s ability to lead the San Antonio Fire Department in its mission to protect the lives and property of our community,” said Erik Walsh. “Her diverse experience has given her a deep understanding of the department, and her commitment to prioritizing the health, wellness, and safety of our firefighters has been instrumental in attracting and retaining top talent to SAFD. Her vision of department built on a culture of diversity, inclusion, and transparency make her the ideal choice to lead the fire department into the future.”
Chief Frausto is a native San Antonian who joined the San Antonio Fire Department in August 2000 and has steadily moved through the ranks during her 24-year career, from frontline firefighting to administrative leadership.
“It is an honor to serve this community,” Chief Frausto said. “This opportunity represents not only a significant milestone in my career but also a commitment to the safety and well-being of both residents and firefighters. Public safety is a team effort, and I look forward to working alongside our brave firefighters, dedicated staff, and community leaders.”
Chief Frausto spent the first 15 years of her career in the Firefighting and EMS Divisions of the SAFD:
- Five years as a firefighter before promoting to fire engineer/paramedic
- Three years in the EMS Division before promoting to Lieutenant in the firefighting division
- Seven years in the firefighting division holding the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief
In 2015, as Division Chief of Communications/Dispatch and Technical Services, she and her team streamlined dispatch operations aimed to improve response times. In 2017 she was appointed to the rank of Assistant Chief of Support Services, where Frausto and her team established partnerships with the Austin Fire Department and Bexar-Metro 911 Emergency Communications Center to build redundancy into SAFD’s dispatch operations.
During this time, SAFD also launched the Hero Like Her recruiting campaign to break barriers that deter young women from pursuing historically male-dominated careers.
In 2022, as Assistant Chief and Deputy Fire Marshal, Frausto partnered with Morgan’s Multi-Assistance Center to develop fire safety education materials and programs for the special needs population. She subsequently earned the title of Fire Marshal.
In early 2024, Frausto was appointed interim Deputy Fire Chief of Administrative Services. In this position she has played a pivotal role in directing all activities related to Fire Prevention, Recruiting, Applicant Processing, Professional Standards, Personnel and Wellness, Public Outreach, Public Information, Budget, Payroll, and support services including fleet, facilities and supplies. She is currently leading the development of internal policies to improve the department’s management of employee leave and overtime.
“In each position Chief Frausto has held with SAFD, she has developed and implemented positive change, instilled new operational strategies and streamlined processes,” said Walsh. “I am confident that Valerie will enhance the professional development, mentorship, and succession programs within the Department to continue to cultivate top talent in the department.”
Her appointment follows a lengthy nationwide search that involved input from stakeholders from the San Antonio community through several stages of the process. A panel consisting of City executives and external stakeholder selected a shortlist of six candidates for in-person interviews, and multiple interview panels consisting of Fire Department employees, City executives and community stakeholders met with each of these candidates and provided feedback to the City Manager.
City Manager Walsh and Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez met with the top candidates to emerge from the interview process and narrowed the selection to two finalists, both of whom were internal. Walsh and Villagomez asked them each to lay out their vision for the future of the SAFD. Based on these conversations, Walsh appointed Chief Frausto. On Thursday, October 31, 2024, the City Council is scheduled to confirm the appointment.
“We had excellent applicants, both internal and outside of SAFD, interested in the Fire Chief position, which made this a difficult decision,” said Walsh. “However, as the process unfolded, it became evident that we have remarkable talent in the San Antonio Fire Department.
“I want to thank the Fire employees, City executives, and community stakeholders who participated in this process and provided valuable feedback that aided my decision to appoint the new Fire Chief. Finally, I want to thank Chief Chris Monestier for his outstanding leadership over the past nine months leading the Fire Department in a steady and effective way” added Erik Walsh. Chief Monestier will resume his duties of Deputy Chief over Administrative Services on November 1.”