Community Leader

STORY BY LIESEL SCHMIDT

Most of us never give much thought to the men and women of the fire department until we need them. We know they’re there, and we appreciate that fact—but we hope that they stay on the periphery of our lives and never become something that we actually have to call on. And as with all the people on the front lines, keeping us safe, they have a level of commitment and bravery that requires more than many of us are prepared to give. Every day, every call, is a test of that bravery and commitment; and they rise to the challenge without thought or hesitation.

For Fire Chief Chris Kaufmann, being a firefighter seemed to be his destiny. “I always thought I’d like the challenge of being a firefighter and that it would be a respected career that would give me the opportunity to help people, and that is something that is really important to me,” says Kaufmann, who has been in the fire service for more than 30 years and rose to the rank of fire chief just over seven years ago.

Most of us never give much thought to the men and women of the fire department until we need them. We know they’re there, and we appreciate that fact—but we hope that they stay on the periphery of our lives and never become something that we actually have to call on. And as with all the people on the front lines, keeping us safe, they have a level of commitment and bravery that requires more than many of us are prepared to give. Every day, every call, is a test of that bravery and commitment; and they rise to the challenge without thought or hesitation. For Fire Chief Chris Kaufmann, being a firefighter seemed to be his destiny. “I always thought I’d like the challenge of being a firefighter and that it would be a respected career that would give me the opportunity to help people, and that is something that is really important to me,” says Kaufmann, who has been in the fire service for more than 30 years and rose to the rank of fire chief just over seven years ago. The scope of his job is immense, requiring a great deal of organization, knowledge, and leadership—all of which Kaufmann possesses. “As fire chief, my job entails oversight of a $23 million budget, with 187 employees charged with serving and protecting over 100,000 citizens in St. Tammany Parish and the City of Slidell,” says Kaufmann. “I am responsible for the entire fire department, which consists of six divisions, in which the suppression division currently has eight firehouses.” As many challenges as such responsibilities would present, even in simply keeping the fire houses running, Kaufmann is tasked with so much more that tests his abilities to do his job on a bigger scale. “My greatest challenge is to provide the citizens with the best fire protection and lifesaving measures in the most efficient manner anytime they call 911 while providing all of our employees adequate training and the best equipment to ensure the highest level of safety to our firefighters. They’re putting their lives on the line to protect and serve our citizens, so they need to be kept safe while they’re doing so,” says Kaufmann. “All of that is a complicated balancing act that requires constant re-working, because situations aren’t static.” As difficult as his work is, and as much as it requires of him, Kaufmann loves being fire chief. “I love being able to set the tone and vision for serving our public while watching all of our employees grow as public servants,” says Kaufmann. “I’m incredibly proud of the opportunity my job affords me to empower our employees to be the best public servants they can be. I’m also proud of the fact that we’ve become Internationally Accredited and obtained a Property Insurance Class 2 rating.” During his tenure as fire chief, Kaufmann has made a number of changes, all of them crucial to the success of the fire departments serving the people of St. Tammany and the City of Slidell. “In addition to obtaining our International Accreditation status and earning a Class 2 Property rating, over the course of my time as fire chief, we have also balanced our personnel at every rank to better serve our citizens, each day, while creating a fluid succession plan for the development of our employees for future promotions,” he says.

COMMUNITY LEADER The future is something Kaufmann must always be mindful of in his work: how his decisions will affect things down the line, how changes he makes will improve things for firefighters who come through generations from now. Naturally, he has a vision for what he hopes the future holds. “I hope to maintain our International Accreditation status and PIAL class 2 rating, while continuing to be a progressive fire department and being prepared for anything that we are called upon to provide service,” says Kaufmann, who is also serving as President of the St. Tammany Fire Chief’s Association in addition to volunteering on several non-profit board of trustees, including United Way Leadership Council, serving as vice president of the board of STARC, serving as treasurer of Hospice House Board, and serving as board president for East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity.

In his free time, Kaufmann enjoys spending time with his family and is a fitness and boating enthusiast. Married for 34 years, Kaufmann and his wife have two grown sons—both of whom have chosen career paths of service, one in nursing and the other in firefighting. Clearly, the desire to serve the community is deeply rooted in the Kaufmann family. And while the firefighters under his command may not be related by blood, they are his family, as well; and his leadership is always, always with their success in mind.

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