Meet Our Host
FIRE CHIEF RANDY R. BRUEGMAN (RET.)
Fire Chief Randy R. Bruegman began his career as a volunteer firefighter in Nebraska. He was hired as a firefighter in Fort Collins, Colorado,
where he served in a variety of positions including engineer, inspector, lieutenant, captain, and battalion chief. He has served as the fire chief
for 27 years in the City of Campbell, California; the Village of Hoffman Estates, Illinois; Clackamas County Fire District No. 1 (Oregon); City
of Fresno, California; and the City of Anaheim, California, retiring in December 2018 after serving over 40 years in local government.
He is a noted author and lecturer on such topics as leadership and managing change in the fire service and a contributing author of fire
service literature including Fire Attack: The Strategy and Tactics of Initial Company Response; Making a Difference: The Fire Officer Role;
Surviving Haz-Mat, Haz-Mat for First Responders; The Volunteer Firefighter:, A Breed Apart; and The Chief Fire Officer’s Desk Reference. He
has authored five previous books: Exceeding Customer Expectations, The Chief Officer: A Symbol Is a Promise, Fire Administration I, Fire Administration II, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Administration, and Advanced Fire and Emergency Services Administration,
due out in November of 2022. He has authored numerous articles and contributed to several national reports.
Chief Bruegman served as president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 2002–2003 and as the president of the board of directors of the Center for Public Safety Excellence from 2004–2017. He served as a principle member on the NFPA 1710 Technical Committee, a standard on the organization and deployment of resources in career fire departments for several years. Chief Bruegman is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers, an Internationally Designated Chief Fire Officer, and a certified Fire Chief through the California State Fire Marshall’s office. He was inducted into the Hall of Legends, Leaders, and Legacies, Class of 2022, on behalf of the National Fire Heritage Center. He has an associate
degree in fire science, a bachelor’s degree in business, and a master’s degree in management.
The Mission
Today we find ourselves in a time when we need leaders to be called to a higher standard, and yet we see an inability for many in leadership positions today to walk their talk and lead by example. This has created a leadership void that is evident in government, and in many public and private organizations today.
In my 27 years as a Fire Chief I have experienced many successes and faced significant adversity, each has brought with it a lesson on how to become a better person and a better leader. Sharing of those experiences is the essence of my podcast called The Leadership Crucible. I believe it important that we share those experiences with the next generations
of leaders who will follow us.
I have always believed that as leaders we must strive to leave it better than we found it, and to pay it forward to those who will lead in the future, and one to the best ways to do so, is by sharing of the adversities that we have faced and the lessons that we have learned that have forged who we have become as leaders and people today. Experience can be the best teacher, but only if it is shared with others.
I’d be honored if you would join me in The Leadership Crucible.
