Organizational Chart
Office of the Chief
AJ JACKSON, INTERIM FIRE CHIEF
The Office of the Chief provides overall direction and management of PF&R. The Chief ensures that PF&R complies with Federal, State, and local regulations in the areas of fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, investigation, and disaster mitigation.
Emergency Operation Division
ANDY PONCE, EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DIVISION CHIEF
Emergency Operations (EOPS) are PF&R’s primary mission and the most critical service we provide to the community. It is the primary means by which the Bureau saves lives and property for the people who live, work, and visit here. Sections within EOPS include:
Emergency Response
Engines, aerial trucks, command staff, and a variety of specialized apparatus are quartered throughout the city to provide emergency response to the community.
Hazardous Materials
PF&R’s Hazardous Materials Coordinator and Team comprise one of nine state-wide hazardous materials response units. Personnel are specially trained to operate equipment and respond with technical expertise to all types of hazardous materials incidents.
Special Operations
Highly trained firefighters and specialized equipment mitigate problems in the Marine Program, Land-based Shipboard Firefighting Unit, the HazMat Team, Dive Team, and Technical Rescue Team.
Bureau of Emergency Communications Liaisons
PF&R has a liaison on duty each day that works out of the 911 Center to coordinate coverage for our Fire Management Areas. At times, stations may need to go out of service for mandatory drills and trainings and it is necessary for the liaison to ensure adequate coverage for all of PF&R’s stations.
Battalion Headquarters
Battalion Headquarters is responsible for ensuring that PF&R has a minimum number of required personnel on hand each day to meet its 24/7 staffing requirements for all stations and apparatus.
Emergency Management
This section provides first-hand emergency response experience by offering expertise in management planning and exercise development. PBEM performs a key liaison role with government agencies to help train and develop Emergency Coordination Center responders.
Office of the Deputy Director
ELIZABETH GALLAGHER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
The Office of the Deputy Director oversees budget development and monitors budget execution, coordinates Professional Standards, Equity, and Personnel programs, and liaisons with the Public Safety Service Area who provides accounting, contracting, purchasing, grants management, personnel action, and payroll processing services to the bureau.
This office also oversees the Strategy, Projects, and Policy Office which includes Technology, Performance and Data Analytics, Strategic Projects, and Administrative Services, and Logistics which is responsible for ensuring all fire stations, facilities, and apparatus are maintained, and stations have the supplies necessary to conduct operations. This section is also responsible for overseeing the General Obligation (G.O.) Bonds, which funds existing stations seismic upgrade, new stations construction, and aging apparatus replacement.
Prevention Division
KARI SCHIMEL, FIRE MARSHAL
The goal of the Prevention Division is to save lives, property, and the environment by preventing fires before they start, and to identify the cause and origin of fires. Under the direction of the Fire Marshal, the Prevention Division works to reduce the frequency and severity of fires and other life-safety incidents through a multi-disciplinary approach that includes education, engineering, and enforcement. As an "exempt" jurisdiction, PF&R’s Prevention Division is responsible for most work typically performed by the Oregon State Fire Marshal. Sections within Prevention include:
Plans Review and Permitting
This group performs plans review, where construction and development plans are evaluated for compliance with fire and life safety codes. Inspector specialists also issue permits and provide inspections for short-term, event-driven activities, and other high-risk activities.
Code Enforcement
The Code Enforcement section identifies and abates fire hazards in commercial buildings, institutional occupancies such as schools and hospitals, multi-family housing of three or more units, and marine-related operations.
Harbor Master
The Harbor Master provides inspection and oversight to the maritime industry, floating structures, and waterways. He/she supports the cruise ship industry and safe docking of visiting ships, regulates fireworks displays over the City’s waterways, conducts code enforcement inspections at moorages, and regulates the safe launch of all new barges and ships.
Fire and Arson Investigation
Cross-trained in law enforcement, members of this section save lives and property by determining the cause of fires, identifying arson situations, and helping to put dangerous criminals behind bars.
Prevention Administration
The Fire Marshal and management team provide direction and oversight for the Prevention Division.
Public Education and Communications
The Public Education and Communications Team direct public education programs, community outreach, and media relations for PF&R. The group provides strategic support to the Fire Marshal's Office and core leadership, manages the PF&R website, and coordinates educational events and campaigns. Through news releases, social media, and traditional media outlets, the outreach team communicates emergency response information and relevant safety messages to the public.
Training, Safety & EMS Division
JIM SESTRIC, TRAINING, SAFETY & EMS DIVISION CHIEF
Training & Safety supports a safe working environment for all PF&R employees by ensuring that they have the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform their jobs safely and effectively. These activities range from in-service training on new techniques and equipment to on-going training to meet recertification requirements for state and federal agencies. Sections within Training, Safety & EMS include:
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
This section provides oversight and management of the training, certifications, policies, and procedures necessary to function as EMS first responders.
In-Service Training
In-service training performs research, analyzes trends, and develops and delivers ongoing training, testing, and skills maintenance for firefighters and PF&R personnel. Firefighters are exposed to a vast array of incident types and need continuous training to prepare them with the necessary skills, abilities, and experience to respond safely and effectively.
Training Academy
The Training Academy provides new firefighters with the academic knowledge and physical skills needed to perform their jobs safely. Firefighters who successfully complete the academy transition to an active fire station where they are closely supervised and receive on-the-job experience.
Recruiting
PF&R’s Recruiter facilitates the firefighter recruitment and hiring process. In addition, the Recruiter coordinates and attends outreach activities such as local and regional job fairs, cultural events and community service events to provide information to individuals and answer questions about a career in firefighting. The Recruiter’s efforts are critical to attracting a diverse pool of candidates to PF&R who may not have otherwise considered firefighting as a career.
Community Health
The Community Health Section manages health initiatives within PF&R. Their mission is to provide education & outreach to community members, sending the right responder to the right calls.
Television Services
This group maintains a live television studio and develops in-house training videos, which allows and supports in-service training and communication to occur within the fire stations while the crews remain in service. In addition, TV Services’ programming line-up serves as an important communications vehicle from PF&R’s leadership to all bureau personnel.
The Safety Officer
PF&R has developed and continues to support a culture of safety for its employees. The Safety Officer is charged with monitoring safety throughout the Fire Bureau and develops and implements policies that increase the safety of PF&R personnel who engage in emergency operations. This position responds to all multiple-alarm fires and unusual incidents, acting as the Incident Safety Officer. The Safety Officer performs post-incident reviews of all major incidents and makes recommendations for improving firefighter safety based on lessons learned. The Safety Officer investigates all injuries to PF&R employees, implements solutions to emerging trends and coordinates the Bureau’s Safety Committee. The Officer interprets rules and develops programs to meet Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations for PF&R.