Fire Chief Bob Khan

Bob Khan, the public face of the Phoenix Fire Department for the past decade, was made Fire Chief on August 1, 2006. Chief Khan now oversees a department of nearly 2,000 members, 53 fire stations with more on the way, and a $220 million budget.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Chief Khan joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1982, after graduating from Arizona State University. He is also a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Crisis Management program, the MIT Negotiating Labor Agreement program, and the Arizona State University Fire Science Institute.

Chief Khan spent 14 years on a fire truck before beginning his ascension through the ranks, and was promoted to assistant chief in 2001.

Chief Khan is recognized for his work in the community for educating the public on life safety issues. Through an extensive public awareness campaign and the formation and implementation of the Adopt-A-Fence program, he was able to reduce drowning fatalities to a two-decade low. In 1996, he coordinated the first Annual Media Academy for Certified Fire Journalists that provides an in-depth and credentialed partnership with reporters and photographers. This academy has become a model for the nation and has even been emulated in Spanish.

In addition to promoting safety messages to the public, Chief Khan has played a key role in policy decisions, and he prioritized expenditures for the 2006 bond election that will guide the department’s capital improvement projects for the next five years. He was instrumental in creating a Spanish-language immersion training program for firefighters. Chief Khan also worked with the executive staff at the Phoenix Police Department to develop the joint Homeland Security Bureau.

“My focus for the future of the Phoenix Fire Department,” Chief Khan says, “is on evaluating our resources and looking at the best possible way to deliver service to the Phoenix community while taking care of the firefighters who work here.”

Chief Khan has been married to Peggy since 1989, and is the father of two daughters, Gracie and Patricia. He and Peggy adopted the girls from China and consider the experience a privilege and a blessing.

Last modified on 02/11/2008 16:04:14