From the Shreveport Times Newspaper
 

Veteran firefighter Brian Crawford became Shreveport's newest fire chief Thursday, emerging from a field of five finalists culled from a six-month search.

Flanked by Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, fellow city department heads, the Shreveport City Council and members of his family, the 44-year-old confidently told a meeting room packed with media, well-wishers and fellow firefighters he will work hard to maintain his unit's professionalism and raise it to greater heights.

"It is a new day for the Shreveport Fire Department," he said, pledging to establish a leadership succession that will encourage experienced personnel to remain on the force, which has seen its veteran ranks thinned by retirements in recent years. "My vision for the Fire Department is to take the best traditions and those characteristics that have made the Shreveport Fire Department a great organization and combine with the latest, most progressive and successful models of public safety."

One of his first acknowledgements was to retired Fire Chief Dallas Greene, the department's leader emeritus, who was in the crowd.

"Thanks for hiring me, Chief!" Crawford sang out at one point.

In a prepared statement, and in give-and-take with the media after the morning news conference at Government Plaza, Crawford — called by Glover "a firefighter's firefighter" — noted the transformation fire departments throughout the nation have made, gaining and expanding missions by the decade. In the 1980s, he said, they gained emergency medical runs, in the 1990s, hazardous materials duties, and in the latest decade, a terror-crisis and emergency-management role.

"Firemen always say 'OK' and do the job asked," he said. Crawford welcomed leadership of the

department, subject to approval by the City Council in a motion to be introduced Tuesday, and called his agency "one of the greatest public safety organizations in the country."

Crawford is perhaps the best-known of 27 applicants who passed the Civil Service examination, having spent at least a third of his 24-year career with the department working with media as its public information officer.

Crawford also has almost a dozen years of experience on the fire line, with hands-on experience with the major rescue, EMS and firefighting equipment in use.

Until his selection Thursday, he was an assistant chief and an assistant to the fire chief. Applicants were from throughout the nation and from as far as Atlanta.

"I've watched Brian mature over the years, and I think he'll do a great job for us," said Willis Carter, the department's chief of communications. "I'm excited."

Other finalists were Kerry Foster, who helps oversee search and rescue dogs; Mark Guastella, Louis Johnson and Russell Moon. Foster and Guastella are 30-year veterans of the department and captains. Johnson, a 25-year veteran, is a training officer at the fire academy. Moon, on the department for more than 24 years, is an assistant chief and a fire investigator.

Interim Fire Chief David Glass, named earlier this year when the search process began, didn't apply for the job. He will return to his previous job as assistant chief in charge of fire prevention.

All five candidates underwent a second interview Tuesday and met with Glover's chief of staff, Dale Sibley, and Shreveport Chief Administrative Officer Tom Dark.

The search started after Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran left for the chief's job in Atlanta. Cochran rose through the ranks to become Shreveport's first black fire chief. Crawford and Guastella were among finalists in the 1999 search that led to Cochran's appointment as chief.

Crawford, married and the father of four children ranging in age from 2 to 25, will make about $125,000 a year. He will oversee a department with 21 stations, 630 employees and a $45.7 million yearly budget.

He and his family live in Bossier City. Crawford said even though the Shreveport City Council removed a condition that heads of departments such as his live in the city, he plans to move to Shreveport.

"Being part of the city management team, I felt it was relevant for me and my family to live in the city," he said. "Hopefully, we'll be spending Christmas in Shreveport."

Chief Crawford is a progressive chief officer with excellent credentials. A member of the IAFC Human Relations Committee, Crawford is also a National Fire Academy resident instructor in the management science division and is currently a fourth-year participant in the academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. He holds a master of arts in industrial/organizational psychology from Louisiana Tech University, a bachelor of science in organizational management, and an associate degree in paramedic.

He serves on the Routley Panel and helped develop the in-depth report that led to tremendous change within the Charleston Fire Department.

Crawford will oversee 21 fire stations and 600 employees with a budget of over $45 million dollars.