June 17 will be Kelvin Cochran's last day as U.S. Fire Administrator. He returns to Atlanta on June 21 to again serve as that city's fire chief. Cochran is leaving his prestigious national position after only 10 months.
"My initial expectation was to finish the month here at the USFA, but given the activities and meetings the administrator is assigned to on a real-time basis, the acting fire administrator would be able to be involved when they are making decisions," Cochran said in an exclusive FIRE CHIEF interview. "So we thought it was best to process out as quickly as possible and there are a couple items that I can take care of in the next week."
Cochran said that when he came to the USFA last August, he was committed to serve as long as the president was in office, whether one or two terms, and had the support from DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and FEMA Director Craig Fugate. Cochran believes his 10 months have been fruitful and several projects established, including completion of the USFA's eight strategic initiatives.
The opportunity to return to Atlanta as fire chief was presented to Cochran when he saw Atlanta's Mayor Kassim Reed at the Council of Mayors.
"I never thought about going back [to Atlanta] until the mayor suggested the possibility," Cochran said. "The mayor's vision for public safety in Atlanta was so attractive to an old fire chief. [I'm excited] to be going back and being part of it. Plus, it was the right thing to do for my family."
Of course, rumors have been spreading that bureaucratic frustration prompted Cochran's sudden departure from the USFA. "Absolutely no," Cochran said, saying that while several individuals cautioned him about the bureaucratic process, he had not gotten to that point in 10 short months.
"The support I had from Secretary Napolitano, FEMA, the USFA and the energy that kept building one stakeholder to the next … I never became frustrated," Cochran said. "The things that the administration is working on are long-term. It's my responsibility to empower the deputy director and the staff to continue. We established that synergy to be carried on."
Cochran was instrumental in the USFA and NFFF in developing a model Vulnerability Assessment project that would give fire departments a self-assessment tool to evaluate its risk profile and suggest risk reduction steps. Cochran said he spoke with the NFFF, and the USFA is committed to be actively involved in the project. He added that he expected to be able to continue to be involved as a metro chief in supporting the assessment project.
And going back to the local level does not mean the national fire service has seen the last of Cochran.
"I'm not going away and become inactive serving at the local level. In some cases, [being the Atlanta fire chief] will let me become more involved, and I'm going to maintain my relationships with the IAFC and the metropolitan chiefs and others to help achieve the vision of the USFA."
Cochran has seen many job changes in the last three years: he left his post in Shreveport for Atlanta, simultaneously leaving his position as the IAFC's first vice president. And less than two years later, he left Atlanta for Washington, D.C. The last didn't necessarily sit well at home.
"In the city of Atlanta, there is a perception that I abandoned the department for higher ground or greener pastures. In fact, the Atlanta mayor under whom I served had two years and a new election was taking place in six months, at which time I was going to be unemployed under the new mayor. So the [USFA fire administrator] opportunity came along when I was concerned about job security," Cochran said. "I think the truth will overcome that I was still trying to get a job commitment. I think that will be overcome with time and with an example of what took place.
Cochran knows that many of his supporters are disappointed that he is leaving the USFA, but emphasizes that the path he was on as fire administrator will continue to be followed.
"My colleagues are disappointed because of achievement of our strategic plans, how we built the relationships with our stakeholders and really put a face on the USFA on a federal level, but this has not been about 'Kelvin Cochran,'" he said. "The USFA will be in place years and the strategic plan will be the responsibility of the next fire administrator. The hard work of the men and women of the USFA put into that strategic plan will be that that plan does not change with the succession and it will have a life after. … [Acting Administrator] Glenn Gaines is wholeheartedly committed to the USFA's strategic plan."
The IAFC is coming up with a list of candidates for the fire administrator position.
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