On Friday, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District bid Farewell to Chief Jeff Carman as they held the change of command ceremony at Station 10 in the City of Concord where Deputy Chief Lewis Broschard was pinned as the Districts 12th Fire Chief.
Supervisor John Gioia recalled when the Board of Supervisors hired Chief Carman and how they were looking forward to the improvements he would be making to the fire district
“I think we can stand here today, and all agree that the faith we had in Jeff 5-years ago was not misplaced,” said Gioia. “At the top of Chief Carman’s list of accomplishments was his success in helping improve the fiscal responsibility and sustainability of our fire protection district. If you recall, we were coming out of a recession where revenues decreased which had resulted in the closure of fire stations”
(L to R) BC Jim Huntze with Chief Carman on a storage facility fire in Antioch.
Gioia highlighted they are now re-opening and rebuilding fire stations.
“Chief Carman successfully implemented our groundbreaking ambulance transport alliance and the consolidation of our fire and medical dispatch communications center and those efforts reduced the overall response time to medical emergencies by 1-minute,” said Gioia. “We all know every minute counts in saving lives.”
Gioia thanked Carman for his leadership.
Chief Jeff Carman called it a good day but a tough day with mixed emotions.
“Even though its been four-decades, I can honestly I say I will miss the job here, I will miss all of you and definitely miss CONFIRE,” said Carman. “I was fortunate enough to work for and alongside a lot of talented people over my career. I’ve been able to save lives and a lot of lives I couldn’t save and I saw a lot of tragedy, I’ve spent a lot of time away from my family and friends, but despite all I would do it again if I was given a chance.”
He added he was happy to be leaving the District at a good time and in a good place calling it very important to him.
“I know I am leaving the fire district in good hands. I knew from the beginning of my time here that Lewis should be my successor. He is smart, a good negotiator, dedicated, ethical and innovative. He has been a great partner during my time here,” said Carman. “He has never breached my trust and god knows he could have and I expect he will take the district to higher levels than we have already achieved.”
He further explained that he hoped Broschard will find a Deputy Chief that he could depend on like he had saying behind him he had an incredible management team.
He closed by sharing the one initiative he was most proud of which was Empowerment of Personnel at all ranks saying he doesn’t take a chief officer to run a program, but it takes passionate initiative.
“Allowing our younger personnel to do what they are passionate about by letting them run with programs that strengthens our organization,” stated carman saying there were so many examples from revising reserve program to the grant program to the marine program to the helicopter program. “I hope that that continues because it is important to empower people. It stretches their boundaries and it prepares them for future promotions and makes the district shine bright.”
He closed by thanking his wife and his daughter who have given him support over the years.
Photo provided by Contra Costa Fire
Broschard, who was appointed on March 12 as the next fire chief of the county, stated he was honored and humbled to be the next fire chief of Contra Costa County Fire and thanked all the staff within the District while continuing to support them.
“When we talk about becoming the premier fire service organization, I don’t want to see us be a destination because I don’t want us to reach the end and just simply decide to rest, we need to continue to innovate, be nimble enough to meet the challenges that will likely face us and capitalize on the opportunities that will hopefully present themselves,” stated Broschard. “We will do this by continuing to maintain the publics trust at the highest levels while providing a continued culture of accountability in public service.”
Broschard called relationships at all levels from government to local firefighters important and special while thanking Chief Carman for the opportunity and embracing him as a partner.
“In 2013, I could not imagine where we would be today as individuals and as an organization, I can’t say enough of the tireless effort, the amount of energy and the motivation and level of commitment that you gave to me and every single person of this organization over the last five in a half years,” said Broschard. “You led the way out of some very dark times for us and created a path to success, sustainability and resiliency. For me, you ensure I was apart of almost every decision and development of every plan. You had a vision and kept me engaged so we can continue along the same path when this day came.”
Broschard explained that it was hard for him to wrap his head around it was he and Chief Carman’s last working day together.
“Your mentorship means the world to me, but your friendship means more,” said Broschard. “Thank you.”
Vince Wells, president of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230, shared that the hire for Chief Carman worked out and for him during the hiring process the challenge was working with six-different fire chiefs was developing trust and relationship with a new chief.
“It was easy to develop that trust with Chief Carman. I always say that you can follow the chief, but never hook the trailer up with the Chief, but a couple times I almost did with Chief Carman,” said Wells. I want to thank you for all your service here. It was a pleasure working with you.”
Rich Sonsteng, who is a Battalion Chief with the District and president of the United Chief Officers of Contra Costa County, stated Chief Carman was the 5th Chief he had worked with in the county.
“When Chief Carman got here, I think we were borrowing apparatus from other agencies, we were shoe stringing things together, buildings were falling apart, it really wasn’t good times,” explained Sonsteng. “When Chief Carman got hired, some of the things he did and the economy started turning around we were in the process of recovery. Its been a good time being a manager when we have money to spend and hire and promote people to expand the District. Chief Carman really empowered leadership and pushed down responsibility. Prior to his arrival, if you didn’t have a gold badge on your chest, you really couldn’t do anything in this organization.”
Sonsteng stated it was a pleasure to empower our firefighters, engineers, captains and allowing them to take on responsibility and watch them grow.
“That has really been the success, I feel, in the growth of this organization because its not just the chief, its not just the battalion chiefs, it is everybody,” said Sonsteng. “They have really included and respected labor.
Photo by CONFIRE
Chief Broschard has a fire service career spanning over 25 years working in small and large fire service organizations. His experience includes positions and responsibilities in emergency operations, fire prevention, and executive leadership. He joined Contra Costa County Fire in 2007 as a Fire Inspector and then promoted to Fire Prevention Captain in 2009.
In 2010 he was promoted to Fire Marshal; during his tenure the Fire Prevention Bureau created and implemented its strategic plan, was successful in the first Fire Code amendment ordinance to be adopted by all cities served by the District without exceptions, and implemented a cost recovery program that enabled the District to expand fire prevention services and add personnel within the Fire Prevention Bureau during one of the most severe economic downturns.
He was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief in 2014 where he was responsible for the Contra Costa Regional Fire Communications Center, Fire Prevention Bureau, Apparatus and Fleet, Information Systems, and Facilities. During this time the District transformed the methods used for procuring fire apparatus and light vehicles in order to create a vehicle replacement program, initiated the Fire Station 16 and Fire Station 70 replacement projects and the District’s solar energy installation project.
In late 2015 he was appointed to the newly created Deputy Fire Chief position where he was an integral part of the implementation of the ambulance services contract with Contra Costa County. As the Deputy Fire Chief he is responsible for overseeing the chief officers responsible for Emergency Operations, Fire Prevention, Communications, Emergency Medical Systems, and Support Services.
From 2011 to 2013, Chief Broschard served as the President of the Contra Costa County Fire Chiefs Association and he is currently the California OES Fire/Rescue Operational Area Coordinator for Contra Costa County.
Chief Broschard holds a BS in Managerial Economics from UC Davis, an MBA from John F. Kennedy University, and he is a CSAC Credentialed County Executive. He has also been certified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a Fire Prevention Officer; Fire Officer; and Chief Officer.
