- Communications -
(318) 675-2200
Chief of Communications
Kathy Rushworth
Kathy Rushworth began her career as an entry level Fire Communications Officer I on February 16, 1982. She advanced through the ranks becoming an FCOII in 1996 and promoting to Assistant Chief of Communications in 2000. She has proudly served as the Chief of Shreveport Fire Department’s Communications Division since 2008. Her passion for public safety communications remains strong today.
Chief Rushworth has been actively involved in the development of many programs throughout her career. She developed an FCOI hiring program in the early 1990’s that is still used today and diligently worked as the hiring coordinator for many years. Chief Rushworth also served as the liaison during the development and implementation of the division’s first Computer-Aided Dispatcher (CAD) system and continues in that role today. She was the first full-time training coordinator for the division and was actively involved with the implementation of our current parish-wide CAD, phone, radio, and mobile data systems. When the division focused on attaining accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), Chief Rushworth was instrumental in the development of numerous policies and procedures required to achieve accreditation. Maintaining accreditation remains one of Chief Rushworth’s priorities. Whether as training coordinator, hiring coordinator, or chief officer, Chief Rushworth has had a direct involvement in the careers of most of the communications officers she proudly represents today.
Her role in public safety communications does not stop at the Fire Communications Division. She is actively involved in numerous state-wide and national committees. Chief Rushworth has served on the Louisiana Public Fire Protection Grading Review Board, Louisiana EMS Committee, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) ADCOMM committee, FEMA’s Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups, Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Committee, and various local committees. She has also served as a committee member for the International CAD Consortium, APCO Gulf Coast Regional Conference and the Louisiana APCO Symposium that were hosted locally. Chief Rushworth is an active member at both the state and national level of APCO. After attaining her APCO Instructor Certificate, she became an adjunct instructor for APCO and trained in communications centers throughout the country. With this background in training, she has helped to rewrite training materials for the APCO Institute. Her greatest accomplishment through APCO Institute was being chosen to serve on the Leadership Certificate Committee. This group developed a full one-year leadership development course. She attained her status as a Registered Public-Safety Leader in 2007 and remains on the National Registry maintained by APCO. At a state level, Chief Rushworth currently serves on the Board of Officers for the Louisiana Chapter of APCO.
Having served more than twenty-five years with the department, Chief Rushworth is very much aware of what it takes to be the chief of this division and therefore is committed to succession planning for her employees. Her goal is to grow future leaders for the Communications Division.
Chief Rushworth enjoys serving in her church, gardening, and watching LSU football and baseball. She is married to retired Fire Captain Gary Rushworth and together they have three grown children and one granddaughter.
Chief Rushworth has been actively involved in the development of many programs throughout her career. She developed an FCOI hiring program in the early 1990’s that is still used today and diligently worked as the hiring coordinator for many years. Chief Rushworth also served as the liaison during the development and implementation of the division’s first Computer-Aided Dispatcher (CAD) system and continues in that role today. She was the first full-time training coordinator for the division and was actively involved with the implementation of our current parish-wide CAD, phone, radio, and mobile data systems. When the division focused on attaining accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), Chief Rushworth was instrumental in the development of numerous policies and procedures required to achieve accreditation. Maintaining accreditation remains one of Chief Rushworth’s priorities. Whether as training coordinator, hiring coordinator, or chief officer, Chief Rushworth has had a direct involvement in the careers of most of the communications officers she proudly represents today.
Her role in public safety communications does not stop at the Fire Communications Division. She is actively involved in numerous state-wide and national committees. Chief Rushworth has served on the Louisiana Public Fire Protection Grading Review Board, Louisiana EMS Committee, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) ADCOMM committee, FEMA’s Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups, Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Committee, and various local committees. She has also served as a committee member for the International CAD Consortium, APCO Gulf Coast Regional Conference and the Louisiana APCO Symposium that were hosted locally. Chief Rushworth is an active member at both the state and national level of APCO. After attaining her APCO Instructor Certificate, she became an adjunct instructor for APCO and trained in communications centers throughout the country. With this background in training, she has helped to rewrite training materials for the APCO Institute. Her greatest accomplishment through APCO Institute was being chosen to serve on the Leadership Certificate Committee. This group developed a full one-year leadership development course. She attained her status as a Registered Public-Safety Leader in 2007 and remains on the National Registry maintained by APCO. At a state level, Chief Rushworth currently serves on the Board of Officers for the Louisiana Chapter of APCO.
Having served more than twenty-five years with the department, Chief Rushworth is very much aware of what it takes to be the chief of this division and therefore is committed to succession planning for her employees. Her goal is to grow future leaders for the Communications Division.
Chief Rushworth enjoys serving in her church, gardening, and watching LSU football and baseball. She is married to retired Fire Captain Gary Rushworth and together they have three grown children and one granddaughter.
About Communications
The Fire Communications Division of the Shreveport Fire Department is a nationally accredited agency that provides a variety of support services to the department and serves as Caddo Parish’s “Gateway to Public Safety”.
The division is comprised of three sections: Administration, Operations and Information Technology. The Chief of Communications is in command, and responsible for all aspects of the division operation.
The Administration Section is assigned two Assistant Chief of Communications, one of which is in command of operations, and the other is responsible for training and quality assurance. One Management Assistant, responsible for accreditation, and one Administrative Assistant provide administrative support for the division.
The Information Technology Section consists of two Information Technology Specialists, one responsible for training and software issues and the other responsible for hardware issues for the department.
The Operations section of the division is made up of eight supervisors (FCOII) and 32 Fire Communications Officers (FCOI). All Fire Communications Officers are required to be certified Basic Telecommunicators, and Emergency Medical Dispatchers.
This division serves as the initial recipient of all 9-1-1 calls originating within Caddo Parish. They are also responsible for processing all emergency and non-emergency requests for service received by the Shreveport Fire Department and the Caddo 9-1-1 system. Personnel of this division maintain a constant file on the location and status of all fire personnel and equipment/apparatus, and when required, relocate these resources to provide adequate protection to all areas of the city. This division also provides dispatching services for the eight Caddo Parish Fire Districts.
During the year 2011, Fire Communications Officers processed over 260,000 incoming 9-1-1 calls and an estimated 50,000 calls on the regular 7-digit telephone numbers. Of those calls, over 37,000 resulted in actual events within the city limits of Shreveport, and over 11,000 events for the Caddo Parish Fire Districts. Complete annual reports for the division are available: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.
The division has an annual operating budget of 3.3 million dollars, of which 3.1 million is allocated for personnel costs. The division offset some of the costs associated with equipment purchases, equipment maintenance and facility, by entering into cooperative agreements with other agencies. This generates in excess of $295,000 in cash reimbursements annually.
The Fire Communications Division received national accreditation in July 2003 through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Public Safety Communication Center Accreditation process. Our division was the first accredited communications center in the State of Louisiana and the only Fire Communications Center in the nation to receive this coveted award. Members of the Communications Division are active in a variety of professional organizations, and work diligently to promote professional excellence in the public safety communications industry. The division was re-accredited in July, 2009 and is due for reassessment in 2012.
The Communications Division encourages both positive and negative feedback concerning citizen interaction with members of our agency. If you have a complaint, comment, or commendation, please refer to this brochure for the proper procedure. Please do not hesitate to file a complaint or commendation when necessary. This information is invaluable to the Shreveport Fire Department's continuing effort to provide the best possible service to our community.
The division is comprised of three sections: Administration, Operations and Information Technology. The Chief of Communications is in command, and responsible for all aspects of the division operation.
The Administration Section is assigned two Assistant Chief of Communications, one of which is in command of operations, and the other is responsible for training and quality assurance. One Management Assistant, responsible for accreditation, and one Administrative Assistant provide administrative support for the division.
The Information Technology Section consists of two Information Technology Specialists, one responsible for training and software issues and the other responsible for hardware issues for the department.
The Operations section of the division is made up of eight supervisors (FCOII) and 32 Fire Communications Officers (FCOI). All Fire Communications Officers are required to be certified Basic Telecommunicators, and Emergency Medical Dispatchers.
This division serves as the initial recipient of all 9-1-1 calls originating within Caddo Parish. They are also responsible for processing all emergency and non-emergency requests for service received by the Shreveport Fire Department and the Caddo 9-1-1 system. Personnel of this division maintain a constant file on the location and status of all fire personnel and equipment/apparatus, and when required, relocate these resources to provide adequate protection to all areas of the city. This division also provides dispatching services for the eight Caddo Parish Fire Districts.
During the year 2011, Fire Communications Officers processed over 260,000 incoming 9-1-1 calls and an estimated 50,000 calls on the regular 7-digit telephone numbers. Of those calls, over 37,000 resulted in actual events within the city limits of Shreveport, and over 11,000 events for the Caddo Parish Fire Districts. Complete annual reports for the division are available: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.
The division has an annual operating budget of 3.3 million dollars, of which 3.1 million is allocated for personnel costs. The division offset some of the costs associated with equipment purchases, equipment maintenance and facility, by entering into cooperative agreements with other agencies. This generates in excess of $295,000 in cash reimbursements annually.
The Fire Communications Division received national accreditation in July 2003 through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Public Safety Communication Center Accreditation process. Our division was the first accredited communications center in the State of Louisiana and the only Fire Communications Center in the nation to receive this coveted award. Members of the Communications Division are active in a variety of professional organizations, and work diligently to promote professional excellence in the public safety communications industry. The division was re-accredited in July, 2009 and is due for reassessment in 2012.
The Communications Division encourages both positive and negative feedback concerning citizen interaction with members of our agency. If you have a complaint, comment, or commendation, please refer to this brochure for the proper procedure. Please do not hesitate to file a complaint or commendation when necessary. This information is invaluable to the Shreveport Fire Department's continuing effort to provide the best possible service to our community.