CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
• Public health has recently become a prominent issue for the City . The Department facilitated 240,000 vaccinations during the recent COVID-19 pandemic . The department actively partners with other agencies to help provide Arlington with needed public health services . The next fire chief must be adaptive in an ever-changing public health arena within Tarrant County .
• Arlington ’ s fire chief must be prepared to lead in many areas critical to Arlington ’ s growth and progress . The fire chief should provide leadership in a number of local , state , and federal capacities . The expectation is to “ lead from the front ” and to position the fire department and the city for opportunities that will enhance the health and safety of our community .
• While the Arlington Fire Department is well positioned in terms of equipment and technology , keeping the heavy fleets in an effective status is an ongoing concern . Managing fire staffing is also an ongoing concern – especially considering the city ’ s demand for EMS services and its risk profile . There is an opportunity for the next Fire Chief to engage problem-solving strategies to address the issue while making sure the department stays focused on improving response times for our citizens .
• The next Arlington Fire Chief will have the opportunity to address some meaningful organizational challenges to enhance internal organizational culture and to work on a developing relationship with Labor . The fire department became a Civil Service department in 2017 and engages Labor under the “ Meet and Confer ” statute . The next chief should effectively communicate with Labor while promulgating responsible policies to serve the community ’ s interest .
FIRE CHIEF | CITY OF ARLINGTON , TEXAS