Glendale Fire is a fully professional, all-hazard fire & rescue agency with deep historical roots, modern operations across nine stations, around 260 personnel, handling ~40,000 calls annually, and integrated into a broad regional aid system.
Once known for being one of the most innovative fire departments in the valley is now a department of low morale and no vision. The labor union is completely clueless to what’s going on out in the field which is allowing the Chief officers to do whatever they want. Under Chief Freeburg there is no direction of where the department should be heading. Since he arrived in Glendale he completely disbanded all 40 hour units and assignments and have ran non stop promotional processes for his chief officers which have silenced any communication from the field. Any chiefs who have questioned him have been forced to resign and any member who questions decisions is outcasted and silenced. Multiple members who have been arrested and accused of DUI or DV have been protected by the union and the department and after “time off” for the investigation are allowed back in their current leadership roles with no demotions or punishments. All members of the department have become rovers due to labors overreach and no consistency in staffing standard. The members of the department are trying to do their jobs with inconsistencies between division captains and chiefs. New equipment is introduced with mixed messages and poor training. If you question any division or chief and ask questions you get yelled at and talked down to. The front line firefighters are some of the greatest people around, wanting to do good work with no support from above. The members who do the right thing get shamed and ignored. Would not recommend anyone testing for what used to be one of the best departments in the valley.
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1 Reviews on “Glendale Fire Department”
Once known for being one of the most innovative fire departments in the valley is now a department of low morale and no vision. The labor union is completely clueless to what’s going on out in the field which is allowing the Chief officers to do whatever they want. Under Chief Freeburg there is no direction of where the department should be heading. Since he arrived in Glendale he completely disbanded all 40 hour units and assignments and have ran non stop promotional processes for his chief officers which have silenced any communication from the field. Any chiefs who have questioned him have been forced to resign and any member who questions decisions is outcasted and silenced. Multiple members who have been arrested and accused of DUI or DV have been protected by the union and the department and after “time off” for the investigation are allowed back in their current leadership roles with no demotions or punishments. All members of the department have become rovers due to labors overreach and no consistency in staffing standard. The members of the department are trying to do their jobs with inconsistencies between division captains and chiefs. New equipment is introduced with mixed messages and poor training. If you question any division or chief and ask questions you get yelled at and talked down to. The front line firefighters are some of the greatest people around, wanting to do good work with no support from above. The members who do the right thing get shamed and ignored. Would not recommend anyone testing for what used to be one of the best departments in the valley.