The Fresno (Calif.) Fire Department recently was named a finalist for the 2007 Fire Service Award for Excellence, presented by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and U.S. Safety Fire Technologies. The department was honored for its strategic community outreach and public education campaign. The department's goal is to educate the community as a whole via public service announcements, innovative signage and local media.

Like many other fire service organizations, the department is continually challenged by ensuring sufficient resources are available to address the issues faced each day by the department. While Fresno has grown dramatically over the past two decades, the staff levels of the department and the number of stations and other resources have not kept pace.

Beginning in 2006, the department developed a five-year strategic plan and standard-of-coverage document to help local elected officials understand the need to focus city resources to fire department programs that will have the most impact on the community.

The department has taken a progressive role in merging its services. Recently, the department merged with the North Central Fire Protection District, which allowed both agencies to consolidate dispatch; closed two district stations that were redundant, which allowed for increased staffing at three district facilities; and transferred all employees to the City of Fresno. While the district remains a special district with a board of directors, the operational components are provided by the city.

As the sixth-largest city in California, the city has focused in providing specialized service from a regional perspective through the state's Office of Emergency Services. The department's focus the past five years has been to develop urban search and rescue, swiftwater and hazmat capabilities that not only provide the highest level of service to Fresno residents but can be called on from a regional perspective to support efforts of local communities throughout the Central Valley and the state.

The department is moving toward becoming an accredited agency through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. The staff is trying to have a peer assessment visit in March 2008. In addition, the department has undertaken an ISO review. The city is currently a Class 4 and the department is trying to improve the city's grading to a Class 3 by the end of 2007.

Chief Randy Bruegman has served in his position since September 2003. He previously served as the fire chief in Campbell, Calif.; Hoffman Estates, Ill.; and Clackamas County, Ore. Bruegman has authored three books: Exceeding Customer Expectations, The Chief Officer: A Symbol is a Promise, and Leading and Managing in the Fire Service. He currently serves on the FIRE CHIEF editorial advisory board. Bruegman is a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and has served as president of the Center for Public Safety Excellence's Board of Directors since 2003. Bruegman has an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in management.

Name of Dept.: Fresno Fire Dept.

Location: Fresno, Calif.

Type: Career

Area served: 336 square miles; population: 495,000

Services provided: Fire suppression, EMS/BLS, Type-1 hazmat, USAR, swiftwater rescue, fire prevention/inspection, and public education

Size of department: 433 personnel (376 sworn; 57 support staff)

Number of stations: 23

Apparatus: 22 engines, six trucks, two ARFF units, one hazmat unit, one USAR unit and one swiftwater rescue unit

Annual Budget: $46.4 million