BRIDGEPORT — A fire battalion chief in Salt Lake City is the top contender to become the city's next fire chief, but Provisional Fire Chief Brian Rooney remains in the running.

Rooney finished second after a battery of tests; a retired firefighter from Maryland finished third.

Daniel Andrus, a Salt Lake City battalion chief, is ranked first in the testing, with a score of 91.2. Rooney, the city's acting fire chief since early last year, finished second with an 86. George Morgan, a retired battalion chief from Howard County in Maryland, finished third with 84.5 points. He is manager of fire programs for the Northrop Grumman Corp.

After a 30-day period in which candidates can appeal their scores, the names of the three highest-ranked applicants will be sent to Mayor John M. Fabrizi. The mayor can choose any one of the top three finalists.

Ralph Jacobs, the city's personnel director, said he's pleased with the candidates.

"I think the process provided a list where the mayor should not have a problem finding a qualified person," he said.

The other candidates are Kevin Tappe, a deputy chief in the Stamford Fire Department, who finished fifth; and Abraham Colon, the emergency medical services supervisor for the New Haven Fire Department, who finished sixth.

The fourth-place candidate declined to allow the city to release his name.

In all, 32 applicants responded to the city's national search for a new fire chief.

Rooney is paid $97,960 a year.

The search process began after Michael Maglione retired as fire chief in January 2005, just before his second five-year term ended. Maglione is now Waterbury's fire chief.

Coincidentally, Waterbury Police Chief Neil O'Leary is the leading contender to become Bridgeport's next police chief. Deputy police chiefs from Hartford and New Haven are also vying for the job.

Caryn Kaufman, a Fabrizi spokeswoman, said the mayor plans to conduct interviews with police chief finalists over the next two weeks. He may make a choice by late this month, Kaufman said.

"He's eager to make a selection," Kaufman said.

Fabrizi cannot begin interviewing candidates for fire chief until the 30-day appeal period passes. The certified list — the three top contenders — is expected to be forwarded March 8 to Fabrizi.

Bill Cummings, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6230.