That means Ralph Jacobs, the city's personnel director, cannot certify the candidates in order to submit them for review by Mayor John M. Fabrizi.

"I'm going to try to get the examiner to review as quickly as possible," Jacobs said. "He filed his appeal on the 30th day, the last day."

Fabrizi's review is the last step before he chooses the successor to former Fire Chief Michael Maglione, who retired in January to head Waterbury's department.

While the examiner, Bruce Davey Associates, has an unlimited time to review the test, Jacobs vowed to pressure the consultant to move quickly.

"I intend to push it as hard as I can," he said.

Colon, a 39-year-old lieutenant who supervises the medical emergency services department for the New Haven Fire Department, scored a 74.8 on the exam. He is also a paramedic with 20 years of experience in New Haven's department.

He said he filed the appeal on the last day because of the Civil Service Department's appeal scheduling process. He claimed that he notified the department of his wish to appeal as soon he got his test scores.

Colon called the grading process inconsistent.

"After I got my results, I didn't feel right with it," he said.

He added that finding out if he was in the running to take the test was difficult.

"From the beginning of the process, they tried to exclude me," he charged.

The top-ranked candidate is Daniel Andrus, a battalion chief from Salt Lake City, Utah; in second place is Brian Rooney, Bridgeport's provisional fire chief; and third is George Morgan, a retired battalion chief from Howard County, Md.

Meanwhile, Colon said he was not initially interested in applying for the job, but did so at the urging of the Bridgeport Hispanic Fire Fighters Association. Senior Fire Inspector Ronald Morales, president of the association, said it asked several Hispanic persons to apply.

Colon blasted his testing experience.

"I've never been treated this way in any examination process," he said, adding that he tried for the New Haven fire chief's job twice.

He also vowed to pursue the grading issue.

"I'm taking this to Clarence Thomas if I have to," Colon said.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.