Chip Prather
Encyclopedia
Charles Prather was the second Fire Chief
of the Orange County Fire Authority
(OCFA) in California
, United States
.
Prather was named the Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority on October 1, 1997.
Prather's leadership can be characterized as unusually involved in the community in which he served. Prather would commonly address derision directly, often responding to blogging critics online and answering his own rookie firefighters' complaints in person (see Orange County Register article from March 31, 2006).
The level of investment shown by the Chief earned the respect of the firefighters which served under his leadership, resulting in numerous accolades from state and federal agencies as well as a resolution approved by the board of Orange County Board of Directors on June 25, 2009.
(CAL Fire).
Fire Chief Prather sought to create a new headquarters for the fire department which he had expanded and improved, and accomplished this goal in 2004. The new Regional Fire Operations and Training Center (RFOTC) completed construction in June 2004, and moved the OCFA from its former headquarters on Water St. in the city of Orange
to the northeast border of Irvine, California
. The training center is one of the most advanced in the world, with a six-story tower that can be remotely set ablaze and extinguished, swiftwater rescue canals, train track and airplane fuselage for Mass Casualty Incident training, and an underground dispatch center that can flex over 18 inches in the event of earthquakes. While its construction was a complex project involving the efforts of many stakeholders, the RFOTC became a visible symbol of the Chief's success in transforming the once fledgling fire department into a world class institution.
Chip Prather oversaw Orange County's Federal Emergency Management Agency
Urban search and rescue
Team, CAT-5, one of only eight in the state of California and 28 in the entire United States. In November 2008, Prather expanded this program by adding the first nationally certified canine and handler team in Orange County.
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
of the Orange County Fire Authority
Orange County Fire Authority
The Orange County Fire Authority is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for unincorporated areas of Orange County, California and cities that contract OCFA's services....
(OCFA) in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Prather was named the Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority on October 1, 1997.
Prather's leadership can be characterized as unusually involved in the community in which he served. Prather would commonly address derision directly, often responding to blogging critics online and answering his own rookie firefighters' complaints in person (see Orange County Register article from March 31, 2006).
The level of investment shown by the Chief earned the respect of the firefighters which served under his leadership, resulting in numerous accolades from state and federal agencies as well as a resolution approved by the board of Orange County Board of Directors on June 25, 2009.
Early career
Chip Prather began his career in 1970 as a seasonal firefighter with the California Department of Forestry, now known as California Department of Forestry and Fire ProtectionCalifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is the State of California's agency responsible for fire protection in State Responsibility Areas of California as well as the administration of the state's private and public forests. It is often referred to as The California Department of...
(CAL Fire).
Programs and development of the OCFA
During his tenure as Fire Chief, Prather developed and/or expanded many instrumental safety programs including: the Paramedic Assessment Unit Program, the Urban Search and Rescue Team, Helicopter Program, Safety Officer Response Plan, the Automatic External Defibrillator Program, Swift Water Rescue Team, Technical Truck Program, WEFIT Program, and Occupant Liaison Program. These programs greatly increased the status and quality of Orange County's regional fire protection, and attracted fire departments from across the globe to emulate the OCFA's procedures (including fire departments in Japan).Fire Chief Prather sought to create a new headquarters for the fire department which he had expanded and improved, and accomplished this goal in 2004. The new Regional Fire Operations and Training Center (RFOTC) completed construction in June 2004, and moved the OCFA from its former headquarters on Water St. in the city of Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
to the northeast border of Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. The training center is one of the most advanced in the world, with a six-story tower that can be remotely set ablaze and extinguished, swiftwater rescue canals, train track and airplane fuselage for Mass Casualty Incident training, and an underground dispatch center that can flex over 18 inches in the event of earthquakes. While its construction was a complex project involving the efforts of many stakeholders, the RFOTC became a visible symbol of the Chief's success in transforming the once fledgling fire department into a world class institution.
Chip Prather oversaw Orange County's Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
Team, CAT-5, one of only eight in the state of California and 28 in the entire United States. In November 2008, Prather expanded this program by adding the first nationally certified canine and handler team in Orange County.