Kathy Rushworth began her career as an entry level Fire Communications Officer I on February 16, 1982. She advanced through the ranks becoming an FCOII in 1996 and promoting to Assistant Chief of Communications in 2000. She has proudly served as the Chief of Shreveport Fire Department’s Communications Division since 2008. Her passion for public safety communications remains strong today.

Chief Rushworth has been actively involved in the development of many programs throughout her career. She developed an FCOI hiring program in the early 1990’s that is still used today and diligently worked as the hiring coordinator for many years. Chief Rushworth also served as the liaison during the development and implementation of the division’s first Computer-Aided Dispatcher (CAD) system and continues in that role today. She was the first full-time training coordinator for the division and was actively involved with the implementation of our current parish-wide CAD, phone, radio, and mobile data systems. When the division focused on attaining accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), Chief Rushworth was instrumental in the development of numerous policies and procedures required to achieve accreditation. Maintaining accreditation remains one of Chief Rushworth’s priorities. Whether as training coordinator, hiring coordinator, or chief officer, Chief Rushworth has had a direct involvement in the careers of most of the communications officers she proudly represents today.

Her role in public safety communications does not stop at the Fire Communications Division. She is actively involved in numerous state-wide and national committees. Chief Rushworth has served on the Louisiana Public Fire Protection Grading Review Board, Louisiana EMS Committee, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) ADCOMM committee, FEMA’s Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups, Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Committee, and various local committees. She has also served as a committee member for the International CAD Consortium, APCO Gulf Coast Regional Conference and the Louisiana APCO Symposium that were hosted locally. Chief Rushworth is an active member at both the state and national level of APCO. After attaining her APCO Instructor Certificate, she became an adjunct instructor for APCO and trained in communications centers throughout the country. With this background in training, she has helped to rewrite training materials for the APCO Institute. Her greatest accomplishment through APCO Institute was being chosen to serve on the Leadership Certificate Committee. This group developed a full one-year leadership development course. She attained her status as a Registered Public-Safety Leader in 2007 and remains on the National Registry maintained by APCO. At a state level, Chief Rushworth currently serves on the Board of Officers for the Louisiana Chapter of APCO.

Having served more than twenty-five years with the department, Chief Rushworth is very much aware of what it takes to be the chief of this division and therefore is committed to succession planning for her employees. Her goal is to grow future leaders for the Communications Division.

Chief Rushworth enjoys serving in her church, gardening, and watching LSU football and baseball. She is married to retired Fire Captain Gary Rushworth and together they have three grown children and one granddaughter.