Phoenix hires first female fire chief in city’s history
Nov 12, 2014, 4:30 PM | Updated: 4:30 pm
PHOENIX — Kara Kalkbrenner has become the first female Phoenix fire chief in the city’s history.
The Phoenix native was named the city’s new chief on Wednesday after a national
search.
Kalkbrenner began her career as a Phoenix firefighter in 1985. She rose through
the ranks of fire engineer, fire captain, division chief, deputy chief,
assistant chief and executive assistant chief.
“Phoenix fire is in good hands and will continue to be one of the nation’s best departments under her leadership,” Mayor Greg Stanton said in a press release. “She grew up in Phoenix, worked her way through the ranks and personifies the excellence we’ve come to expect from the department.”
She was named acting chief in January after Bob Khan announced that he was
retiring to spend more time with his ailing father.
“Kalkbrenner has served the city with distinction for decades and it’s yet another reminder that Phoenix produces some of the best public servants in the nation,” Councilman Michael Nowakowski said in a press release.
Kalkbrenner joins just two other female fire chiefs in cities with more than 40
fire stations and more than 1,000 members — San Francisco and Austin, Texas.
Phoenix operates 58 fire stations with 1,948 members.
A formal swearing-in ceremony for Kalkbrenner is planned for early next
month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
