The firefighters union would like Honolulu's next fire chief to be promoted from within the department's ranks, the association's president said yesterday.

"We're hoping that the individual is selected from in house," said Capt. Bobby Lee, president of the Hawai'i Fire Fighters Association.

"I feel we have enough qualified candidates in our department to fill that position."

The search for the city's next fire chief will officially begin Sunday, when the city advertises for the position in Honolulu's daily newspapers.

Fire Chief Attilio K. Leonardi announced he will step down from his $112,206 job Jan. 15, four days after the 155th anniversary of the Honolulu Fire Department.

Flanked by several members of the Honolulu Fire Commission yesterday, Leonardi did not name any possible successors. None of his deputies, who were sitting according to rank behind him, indicated they would apply.

"That's a press conference for another day," said Deputy Fire Chief John Clark.

City spokes-man Bill Brennan said all applicants for the fire chief position will be considered.

Leonardi's major accomplishments include reaccreditation of the department, National Fire Fighter Certification, gaining ownership of the land under the department's training center from the Navy, and the scheduled completion of the new Fire Department headquarters at the end of the year.

"It's been 35 years and it's been a wonderful career. I can't say enough about it," Leonardi said yesterday.

"Our firefighters are aces. They do their job every day, no complaints."

He said he regrets not being able to push through a total ban on fireworks and not being able to convince lawmakers that all residential high-rises should be retrofitted with sprinklers.

He said those causes will be taken up by the next chief.

Leonardi officially retired at the end of 2003, saying he would lose pension benefits under state retirement laws if he didn't start collecting the money.

But Leonardi continued to work under a special appointment approved by the Fire Commission.

The arrangement drew criticism from opponents of "double dipping" who chastised Leonardi for receiving retirement benefits and getting full pay.

At the time, Leonardi said he was entitled to the pension benefits because he had contributed 12.2 percent of his gross pay into the retirement system during his career.

Leonardi, who replaced Anthony Lopez as fire chief on April 9, 1998, was the first fire chief to be selected by the Fire Commission, a panel created when voters approved a City Charter amendment in November 1996.

Previously, the mayor picked the fire chief, while the City Council had confirmation authority.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.