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Fire Chief Kalkbrenner
Leadership from the TOP
4 | CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION 2016
Phoenix.gov/fire
150 S. 12th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Q Q
Goals: What are your main goals as chief?
A A
My main goal as the fire chief is to manage our organization, so that we can safely and
effectively serve the public, take care of our firefighters and meet the needs of the community.
Successful organizational planning and strategies are not made in isolation. They are carefully
executed with participation and input from all levels of the organization.
The Phoenix Fire Department boasts an outstanding process called Relationships by
Objectives (RBO). This brings management and labor to the table to solve challenges, plan for
the future and constantly seek opportunities to improve our department. In response to the
challenges brought by the recession, our administration and union worked together to identify
leaner, more creative ways to operate. As the fire chief, I am fortunate to have a vibrant
membership that is actively involved in helping me meet my goals.
Q Q
Community: What does “community” mean to you?
A A
Our community is very diverse. As a firefighter who came up through the ranks, I have been
very fortunate to have worked in every area of the city. When citizens call 9-1-1 they are
typically under duress, injured, ill or need our emergency-response, problem-solving skills.
The customer needs vary with each dispatch, but our ability to serve them effectively must
be consistent. My nearly 32-year career has been spent serving our unique community as a
professional problem solver.
As the fire chief, I am responsible for managing a multi-million dollar budget, hiring and
training the very best individuals to serve the public and forecasting the future needs of our
community. Phoenix is populated with families, elderly, diverse ethnicities and socioeconomic
structures. These variables must be taken into consideration when we examine how best
to deliver emergency response. For the Phoenix Fire Department, a strategy to improve our
ability to serve this community is a perpetual process.
Q Q
Community Relations: In light of situations around the country in other cities, what is the Phoenix Fire Department doing
to better develop community relations?
A A
The Phoenix Fire Department is known for its outstanding and innovative approach to community
relations. It all begins with our partnerships in the community. We work closely with the private
and public industry to ensure that we have the best, most timely, pertinent safety education
and resources to serve our customers. We deliver exceptional service to the community through
professional, well-trained, dedicated, competent, hardworking and safe members.
An Interview
with Phoenix
Fire Chief Kara
Kalkbrenner
by Faith Weese