Jeff Johnson, CEO of Western Fire Chiefs Association speaks on his life as a fire chief in Oregon and how the issue of forest conservation has shaped his career.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved being in the forest. Camping, fishing and hiking were my favorite activities because I just thought everything was so much better out there”, Jeff Johnson recalls his childhood fondly as he takes a sip of his latte. Growing up in Sisters, Oregon Jeff had easy access to everything that the outdoors had to offer, as Sisters is practically surrounded by forest.
As Jeff grew older, he began to realize that the forest that he loved so much wasn’t as important to others as it was to him. The deforestation and man-made forest fire problem was steadily increasing in Sisters. At age 20, Jeff made forest conservation his main priority for a career field after college. “In 1980, it was evident to me that it was broken”, Jeff comments about the forest conservation situation at that time and his decision to dedicate his life to the issue. Shortly after graduating college with a bachelor degree in business, Jeff signed up to be a volunteer firefighter at Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. He later went back to school and received his associate’s degree in fire science and criminal justice administration.
Jeff’s dedication and passion for the industry helped him to excel among his peers and become a leader in the station. Throughout his time there, he made his way up the ranks and piled on promotions until he was named Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Fire Chief/ Chief Executive Officer, a position he served for 15 years. During his 32 years with the station, he held the conservation of the surrounding forests to a much higher importance than it had been in the past.
Heidi Arnold, the Executive Operations Director of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, is a close family friend of Chief Johnson and has worked with him for many years. Her experience working alongside him for so long has shown her his passion for the forest and his dedication to its conservation and preservation time and time again. “Jeff has always been aware of the condition of the forests in and around Sisters,” She says, “He is always looking for steps that our company can take to improve its condition.” Heidi and Jeff’s families have gone on several camping trips together and share a love for the outdoors.
Jeff Johnson is now the CEO of the Western Fire Chief Association, and one of the most decorated, experienced and highly-respected people in the fire safety and rescue industry. He has held high level positions in several other fire safety organizations including President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs after retiring from his 32-year career as Fire Chief of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R). He is also a board member on Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and various IAFC organizations. To this day, Jeff is still trying to maintain the standard that he set in the station to help preserve the forest that he has worked so tirelessly to protect.