HUMBOLDT BAY FIRE CHIEF NAMED "CHIEF OF THE YEAR"

Humboldt Bay Fire Chief Ken Woods has been selected as the Ronny Jack Coleman Fire Chief of the Year by the California Fire Chiefs Association (CFCA) during its annual conference in Sacramento. Named after retired State Fire Marshal Ronny Jack Coleman, the CFCA Ronny Jack Coleman Fire Chief of the Year Award was created in 2000 to recognize an outstanding member of the fire service leadership community. With a membership that spans throughout California’s 58 counties, the award highlights an individual that is a role model for all Fire Chiefs in the state. Chief Woods has been the driving force and inspiration behind several major accomplishments in the past year. The most notable of which is the consolidation of Humboldt No. 1 Fire Protection District and the Eureka Fire Department into the newly formed Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF). This project has seen many attempts in the past 60+ years that yielded no results. However, under Woods’ leadership and drive the consolidation of the two neighboring agencies came to fruition in November 2012 with the unanimous ratification of the Humboldt Bay Fire Authority Joint Powers Agreement by the Fire District Board and Eureka City Council. “I was shocked and humbled to receive the award but it's really a confirmation of the work we have been doing at Humboldt Bay Fire with our consolidation and emphasis on customer service,” said Woods. “The award is really a reflection of the quality staff I have and their commitment to work hard and move the organization forward to benefit all of our citizens.”