“It’s a great move and an excellent progression in his career, but it’s with pride and some sadness, that I announce that Shreveport Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran is leaving to become the Fire Chief for the City of Atlanta, Georgia.”

Today, Shreveport Mayor Cedric B. Glover announces the departure of Shreveport Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran who will take the reigns of one of the country’s top fire departments. January 2, 2008 will be Cochran’s first day on the job.

“He’s one of our own and what a testament to our City, that Shreveport, The Next Great City of the South, can produce the caliber of men and women who can stand not only shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest, but stand heads above the best, says Mayor Glover.

“Kelvin’s exemplary leadership and commitment will be missed but we send him to Atlanta with the continued support of his hometown, Shreveport.”

Chief Cochran was the unanimous choice of the selection committee. He was one of 3 finalists. Atlanta’s fire department consists of some 40 stations, 1,200 sworn and non-sworn employees, covers over 132 square miles and in 2005 alone, responded to 52,790 fire calls.

Accomplishments of Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran (1999-2007)

• No major injuries or deaths of firefighters

• No citizen fire deaths in 2006 and through October 2007

• Retained Fire Department Class One Fire Rating in 2003

• Citizens approval high – customer complaints remain low: less than one per 1,000 calls

• Firefighter staffing levels – increased across the board for safer emergency scene operations

• Strategic Master Plan – almost $15 worth of programs and projects brought to fruition

• Pay & Benefits

>>Firefighter pay has increased by more than 36% over last eight years

>>18.5% pay raise from 2003 sales tax

>>Increased paramedic pay from $150 to $185

>>Increased Medic Unit & EMS Supervisor pay to $50 per shift

>>Implemented Education Incentive pay program

>>Added AARF and HazMat to equivalent to associated degree

>>Clothing Allowance increase from $300 to $400 annually

>>No employee increase to firefighters retirement contribution

>>Communications Pay – increased to be equitable to Fire Captain

>>Holiday Buyback Program – program created benefit for members while saving department from paying significant OT to maintain Class One.

• Fire Station Relocation Master Plan

>>Fire Station #22 for southeast Shreveport under construction

>>Opened new $4.9M Central Fire Station

>>Relocated Station #13 to Western Hills from N. Market. New station was $1.4M

>>More than $2.5M in fire station renovations

• Vehicle Replacement

>>New Engines (9): $2.7M

>>New lease purchase engines (5): $1.5M

>>New Rescue truck (2): $650,000

>>New Rescue II: $450,000

>>New Medic Units (4): $1M

>>Medic unit remounts (12): $1.4M

>>Staff and District vehicles (35): $735,000

>>New Ladder 22: $650,000

• Personnel Services

>>Hired 187 firefighters and created 26 additional firefighter positions

>>Added 2 additional Emergency Vehicle Technicians (EVTs)

>>Added 2 additional Training Officers

>>Added 2 additional Fire Inspectors

>>Added 8 additional Fire Communications Officers

>>Added 1 additional EMS Supervisor for south Shreveport

>>Implemented educational requirement of associate degree for officer promotion – beginning in 2010

>>Increased Operational supervision by adding fifth and additional swing District Chief positions

• EMS Operation – continue to dominate emergency responses – 70%. Department has adapted to increase workload with programs, equipment, training, staffing increases, and incentives for paramedics to provide one of the premier EMS services in the region.

>>Ninth medic unit to added in Oct. ‘06

>>Tenth medic unit to be first quarter 2008

>>From two to five Paramedic Engines

>>Added new AutoPulses to Medic Units: $212,000

>>Replaced all department AEDs with new lighter weight models: $79,000

>>Implemented new pen-based EMS reporting system: $212,000

>>Paramedic training - increased by one-third the number of department paramedics

>>Added additional EMS Supervisor for south Shreveport

>>Working with Medical Director and Shreveport Medical Society

>>Partner with LSUHCS for current research on emergency medicine

>>With assistance and research from SFD-EMS, Dr. Amy Gutman recently won Best Cardiac Research Award at the annual conference for National Association of Emergency Medical Service Physicians in Tucson.

• Equipment Enhancements

>>Replaced all self-contained breathing apparatus (173 units): 1.0M

>>MDT replacement program – partnership with SPD & CSO on Homeland Security Grant of more than $2.0M.

>>Fire Prevention Mobile Training Unit – U.S.F.A. grant: $40,600

>>Wellness and Fitness equipment for fire stations – U.S.F.A grant: $187,500

>>Thermal imaging cameras – Homeland Security Grant: $228,000

>>Explosive ordinance Device Robot – Homeland Security Grant: $132,000

>>Explosive ordinance Device Bomb suits – Homeland Security grant: $26,000

>>Hazardous Material equipment (decon tents, Class A suits, HazMat trailer): $1.6M

>>Potable cascade (air) system – $30,000

>>EMS Mass gathering trainer – Homeland Security grant: $36,000

>>Portable radios for all firefighter positions: Homeland Security grant: $120,000

>>Integrated SCBA face piece radios: Homeland Security grant: $130,000

• Policy & Program

>>SFD New hiring policy - the fire department’s new fire fighter hiring policy which provides for equitable hiring based on community demographics without the use of a consent decree.

>>New Discipline Policy – transparent and equitable disciplinary policy

>>Public Information Program – the PIO program has significantly increased the public’s awareness of fire department operations and provided due recognition for the men and women of the organization.

>>Implemented Fire SafeHouse program – program was implemented to provide battered and abused women and children a safe haven until the proper authorities could be notified. Partnerships with groups like the YWCA and Gingerbread House made the new program successful

>>Implemented annual Fire Department Open House – partnering with local hospitals to have medical health fair at stations during Open House week.

>>Implemented new Smoke Detector Giveaway and Installation program – fire trucks are all equipped with smoke detectors. If firefighters come across a home with no smoke detectors than can provide and even install one on the spot.

• Homeland Security – SFD taking lead role in providing resources, personnel, training and equipment for city, state, and area response in the event of natural or manmade disaster. Lead agency in developing state Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team. Fire Chief appointed as head of Shreveport Homeland Security issues.

• Fire Communications – received CALEA National Accreditation. This is the only fire department communications center in the country with this designation.