EPISODE 003: REGGIE FREEMAN | OAKLAND'S FIRE CHIEF

The Leadership Crucible Podcast

Dr. Reginald D. Freeman is the 37th Fire Chief for the City of Oakland, CA. Prior to Oakland, Chief Freeman served as Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director for the City of Hartford, CT and Fire Chief for Lockheed Martin. He also served as a civilian Fire Chief in Iraq for the U.S. Department of Defense from 2004-2008. He has worked in a number of fire service capacities in his career including Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Fire Captain, Fire Service Instructor, Assistant Fire Chief, and Fire Chief.

Chief Freeman’s educational accomplishments include a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership from Bellevue University in Bellevue, NE. He earned his Master’s Degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ and earned his PhD in Emergency & Protective Services from Capitol Technology University located in Washington D.C. Chief Freeman is also a graduate and Fellow of Harvard University’s Senior Executives for State & Local Government (Class of 2007) program at the Kennedy School of Government and is a graduate of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative program (Class of 2019). Chief Freeman previously served as the Chair of the Industrial Fire & Life Safety Section for the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and a previous Board member of the Executive Fire Officer Section of the IAFC and Technical Committee member of NFPA 1021 (Fire Officer Professional Qualifications), respectively. Additionally, Chief Freeman formerly served as a Commissioner for the Commission on Professional Credentialing via the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. from 2010-2016 and Chairman from 2016-2019. He is also the Director of Training for the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs. Chief Freeman is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc (CPSE). as well as a credentialed “Fellow” with the Institution of Fire Engineers, USA Branch. He also serves as the Area 7 Director for the California Fire Chiefs Association as well as the Board of Directors for NFPA and CPSE.

Chief Freeman is an Adjunct Professor for Anna Maria College, Capitol Technology University, and the University of Florida where he lectures in both undergraduate and graduate Fire Science and Master of Public Administration programs.

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