Q & A

Last week, Costa Mesa firefighter Jim Ellis learned he would be

promoted to fire chief, replacing Frank Fantino. The Michigan native, who

has been with the department since 1980, has worked his way up the ranks

-- exactly as his predecessor did.

Among the calls he’s responded to, Ellis led the men who answered an

April 1999 call to an Eastside preschool. There, he and the rest of the

community were shocked to find that Steven Allen Abrams had purposefully

driven his car into the school’s playground, killing two children. It was

the most horrifying incident he’d seen.

He takes charge as the department faces continuing and looming

retirements. Still, he said, “I’m just bursting at the seams. I’m so

excited to be fire chief.”

Ellis sat down with the Pilot City Editor S.J. Cahn to discuss his

plans for the department’s future.

What do you expect will be your biggest challenges as chief?

One of the biggest challenges I will face as the chief will be

maintaining the highest level of service possible for the citizens, but

also improving and implementing new and innovative ways to increase the

level of service as best we can. The fire service is about to enter into

a time where we will experience a large turnover -- retirement -- of

senior fire personnel at all ranks. I want to ensure that we assist our

future leaders to be ready for this evolution. Another challenge will be

keeping pace with ever-changing technology and incorporating that

technology into the department. One of the challenges I look forward to

is that individuals have to prepare themselves -- I feel that as the head

of the organization, that not only do they have to be prepared, but they

have to understand the history of Costa Mesa and of the community. So we

need to prepare them beyond the classroom. It’s always changing, always

evolving. I want to make sure we’re always on the leading edge. I had a

captain years ago who always said, “Set the example, don’t be an

example.”

Aside from the obvious, what role do you think the fire department

should play in the community, and how might you make it happen?

Beside the obvious role, the fire department should assist the

community through education, how to be fire safe, how to prevent fires

and injuries and preparation -- how to be prepared before, during and

after a disaster. Currently, the Costa Mesa Fire Department has programs

in place to address these issues, but we must maintain and add new

programs as we discover the needs for them in the community. And we

should always be listening to the needs of the community. The biggest

thing with our City Council is they’re interested in expanding our

feeling of community. The police department has the police citizen

academy. We want to follow that. I’d like to look toward developing a

citizens fire academy to allow them to be self-sufficient before, during

and after an emergency. It’s the one I’d really like to see us get. We’re

open to new and innovative ways to serve the citizens.

You’ve been a battalion chief for nine years and have managed the

department’s 32-member fire suppression division. How has that work

prepared you for leading the whole department?

As suppression battalion chief, I was responsible for the efficient

operation of one-third of the fire department. I utilized the knowledge

and talents of the captains and their crews to provide the best service

possible to the citizens of our city. The past nine years have allowed me

to hone my management skills and develop future leaders, enhance our

working relationship with other departments in the city. As the fire

chief, I will utilize my administrative staff and the strength and

talents of the entire fire department to accomplish the same goal - to

provide the best possible service to our citizens. As fire chief, I won’t

be out in the field as often. But I will be working with the leaders of

the organization. I’ll also be working more closely with the heads of

other departments. We need to work together as different departments.

Can you give a sense of what is most difficult about being a fire

fighter? And what makes you come to work every day?

Fire fighters are highly trained to save lives and property from the

ravages of fire, natural and unnatural disasters. We are called upon when

the citizens we serve need us the most, when their world has been turned

upside down. What is most difficult is when we cannot make a difference

every time -- a cardiac arrest or a fully involved house fire.

The frustration comes when you’re called too late. As young

firefighters, you get very frustrated -- I could’ve done more. I could’ve

done that. But as you mature, you learn that you just have to do the best

you could do. You have to know, and get to a point in your life, where

you know you did the best you can, and then some.

What makes us want to come to work each day is the desire to make a

difference to save a life, prevent a fire or teach a fire prevention

program. Every shift brings something different [and] we love what we do.

Everyday is different. We function off what happens at the moment. No two

days are alike. Firefighters do, for the most part, love what they do.

You’ve been with the Costa Mesa fire department since 1980. In what

ways has the city changed during that time?

When I began my career in 1980, the Costa Mesa Fire Department

consisted of four fire stations and had only one paramedics unit for the

entire city. Hazardous materials, confined space rescue and weapons of

mass destruction were not discussed or planned for. The only high-rise

buildings were a South Coast Plaza hotel and Bethel Towers. The

population was under 60,000 and there was not a freeway between Newport

Boulevard. We have both come a long way in the past 21 years. The city

has become one of Orange County’s leading cultural and business centers,

and there is more to come. Our job changes as the community changes.

The enhancement in technology and equipment has made it where we can

do more. I wouldn’t say it has made it easier, but it’s made it safer. As

long as we have things that burn, we’ll have the danger.

What message would you like to get out to residents of Costa Mesa

about the department?

The citizens of Costa Mesa should be very proud of their fire

department. It is comprised of many highly motivated and dedicated

members. Each and every one takes pride in providing the best level of

service possible.

The Costa Mesa Fire Department enjoys a tremendous reputation

throughout the state as being one of the most squared-away departments. I

just hope the citizens realize they have a very classy, first-rate fire

department.

The fire department does not function by itself -- we work with every

department in the city in the course of accomplishing their job.

I would like to invite everyone to see the city in action. On May 20,

we will be hosting the fifth annual emergency services expo at the

Placentia fire station from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Come out and see your city emergency services in action.