Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Fire Department website. 

Assistant fire Chief Michael Duran has been announced as the next chief of the Phoenix Fire Department, according to a news release from City Manager Jeff Barton.

Duran, a 27-year veteran of the department, will take over when current fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner retires on Feb. 22.

“As the Fire Chief, I will prioritize innovative opportunities to improve the safety and services of our system,” Duran said in the news release.

In his new position with the Phoenix Fire Department, Duran will be in charge of overseeing 59 fire stations and nine battalion units. 

Background in the Phoenix Fire Department

Duran has been a member of the department since 1994 serving as a firefighter, engineer and captain, in addition to serving as the deputy chief of the central district.

As assistant fire chief, Duran serves the Medical Support Services Division, which is responsible for 85% of all fire department-related calls, according to the City of Phoenix.

In his time with the department, Duran has worked closely with governmental bodies, including Mayor Kate Gallego and the expansion of the Community Assistance Program (CAP).

The goal of the Community Assistance Program is to help people, including those experiencing homelessness, addiction, individuals with senior care issues, and others who may be in crisis.

 “They are in crisis and don’t know who to call and we as a society have said 911 is your answer, so they call 911,” said Dolores Ernst, program administrator for the CAP.

However, fire or police response may not always be the best options, especially when it concerns mental health crises.

Instead, the Community Assistance Program allows trained adults to respond on-scene to crises and provide victim assistance services if necessary, taking pressure off of 911 services. The program was created in 1995 with the purpose to provide an alternate form of response to crises, according to Ernst.

“He has helped to oversee the expansion … so that we can start responding appropriately to calls that don’t need PD or fire,” Ernst said. More specifically, Duran played a critical role in securing more funding for this service, according to Ernst.

“Chief Duran has spoken at our City Council meetings, at some of our subcommittee meetings about the progress and he has helped us connect, along with Ginger Spencer (Deputy City Manager) with the other city departments,” said Ernst. 

With his help, the Mayor’s Office allocated $15 million more dollars to the program. The money will serve to “improve the crisis response for behavioral and mental health calls in the community,” according to a news release.

Other emergency work in Phoenix and beyond

The new fire chief has been a part of many Phoenix-based organizations including the Homeland Defense Bureau, a group that leads planning with the City of Phoenix Office of Emergency Management, as well as the Phoenix Incident Management Team, which led the planning of public safety for Super Bowl XLIX when it was hosted in Arizona in 2014. 

Duran’s experience goes beyond the City of Phoenix as a member of the Federal Emergency Management Association, or FEMA. Duran was dispatched to New York during hurricanes Sandy and Irene and to Houston during Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

His prior experience makes Duran apt to be the next chief, according to City Manager Jeff Barton. Duran’s “strong communication skills and meaningful experience developing and maintaining relationships within the city, community, and business partners will be invaluable as he takes on the role of Chief,” Barton said in the news release.

“I am confident Chief Duran will ensure our city’s firefighters provide quality protection and life safety services and will be a valuable mentor and ethical leader to grow the next cohort of public safety teams integral to our community,” Gallego said in a statement.

Contact the reporter at pdalal6@asu.edu.