The Shreveport Fire Department is led by Fire Chief Ronald C. Mulford. He is responsible for directing 620 employees, 22 fire stations, and disciplines of Fire Suppression, EMS, Heavy-Rescue, Training, Fire Prevention, Maintenance, 911 Communications, and Airport Fire Rescue in the public safety mission of the organization and oversight of all capital projects, equipment and personnel of the Fire Department, as well as the $50 million operating budget.

Following an extensive search which produced more than 20 candidates, Mulford was selected by Mayor Cedric B. Glover on July 4, 2011 to serve as Shreveport’s 14th Fire Chief since 1891. Prior to his appointment Mulford served in the fire operations division as house captain at Central Fire Station.

Mulford was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is a 1982 graduate of Southwood High School. As a 2nd generation firefighter, Mulford began his fire service career in Shreveport in 1982, completing his training as part of the 29th Basic Class. He was assigned to Shreveport’s Historic Downtown Central Fire Station as a Firefighter/EMT and served his entire operations career at that location.

In 1999 Mulford was promoted to Fire Captain where he was responsible for overseeing $2.5 million in equipment housed at Central Fire Station as well as maintaining the $5 million facility and the personnel stationed there.

Chief Mulford has obtained multiple National Fire Academy certificates including Chemistry of Hazardous Materials, Incident Command, and Managing Tactical Operations. He holds certificates from LSU-Fire Emergency Training Institute for multiple disciplines in special operations as well as being an IFSAC Hazardous Materials Technician. He has been a member of the Shreveport Fire Department Underwater Recovery Team since 1985 where he was the A-Shift Dive Team Coordinator at the time of his appointment as Fire Chief. He is also a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate.

Chief Mulford received the Mayor’s Award of Excellence and SFD certificate of commendation for directing dive operations, requiring multiple dives into a confined space below ground, at the Amiss Treatment Plant to repair a ruptured valve that threatened the city’s water supply in 2008. He is the outgoing Chairman of the Shreveport Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board where he managed and conducted the business of the board, representing the public interest in matters of personnel administration in the Fire and Police services of the City of Shreveport and assisting the Governing Body, Mayor, and the Chiefs of the Fire and Police Departments in the maintenance and improvement of personnel standards and administration in the Fire and Police services, and the classified system.

Chief Mulford is married to Robin Thomas Mulford of Gurdon, Arkansas. They have three children, Cheston, Clay, and Cantley. They attend Summer Grove Baptist Church and they enjoy all outdoor activities as a family.