Hugo R. Esparza, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, and a member of the Fort Worth Fire Department for the past 32 years, has been hired as the new chief of the Plano (Texas) Fire Department. "I'm thrilled and both humbled and privileged," said Esparza. “This is a plum job. This is a great department, great city. I feel real fortunate to be given the opportunity."

Esparza rose through the Fort Worth ranks from engineer to executive deputy chief, his current position. He will officially become Plano’s chief in mid-November.

"It is our privilege to bring Chief Esparza to our community," said Plano City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck. "He is a progressive and proven leader and we are excited he will be joining our team."

The Plano Fire Department has a Class 1 ISO rating and is the only fire department in Texas to achieve accreditation in both fire and EMS with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Esparza says he looks to build upon the organization's already exemplary record, but adds there are areas where there is always room for growth.

"The department is already a Class 1 department. I think the things that I will be looking at are the things that are important to me, which are customer service, the safety of our firefighters and training," he said. "There is always room for improvement. But anything that I do we will get together and come to that decision together."

Esparza notes that he has a pretty big role to step into after the departure of former fire chief William Peterson. Peterson is settling into a new role as regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Like any other business, customer service is paramount. Esparza stresses the same for municipal services, making sure that all citizens are being assisted in their time of need.

"I think I understand that a changing demographic, diversity, community — I think that those are things that are common across any community," he said. "We have to make sure that we are touching base with all customers, we are representing all of the people that reside in Plano."