Fire Marshal Russ Cole Resigns

After less than a year on the job, Santa Barbara City Fire Marshal Russ Cole resigned from his politically sensitive post, citing “personal reasons.” Cole, who hailed from Ventura County before being hired here, will be replaced as fire marshal-who acts as interface between developers and property owners on a host of preventive matters–by Joe Poire, a one-time arson investigator and 25-year veteran of the department on an interim basis. After 90 days, the department will determine whether a full scale recruitment is necessary to fill Cole’s vacancy.