Chris Baker | Placer County, CA
“It is the duty of all firefighters to pass on their knowledge to every new person on the job.”
Why did you become a firefighter?
Fire Captain Chris Baker recalls the time in August of 2005, when he was watching the devastation on TV from Hurricane Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Region of the United States.
“I felt like I needed to help in some form or fashion; I wanted to do something.”
Shortly thereafter, he visited his local volunteer fire station in Patterson, California and signed up to become a volunteer firefighter. Little did he know that he would soon be embarking on his future career in the fire service.
Training in the fire academy became the highlight of his week. “I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of training class in the basic firefighter academy,” Captain Baker reflected. “I must have read every magazine on the firehouse coffee table at least three times.”
After eight long months of the fire academy, he graduated from his department’s firefighter basics program and became an official probationary firefighter. Over the next year, Chris became a student of the fire service whose thirst for knowledge couldn’t be quenched.
Captain Baker will always remember the first call he went on as a volunteer firefighter.
“After that first call, I realized that I wanted to do this for the rest of my career.”
Chris during his time with CAL FIRE.
In 2014, Chris received a Certificate of Heroism in recognition of an outstanding field save. He also earned the Commendation and Service Award from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors at the FDIC International conference in 2018. Today, in addition to his duties as fire captain, Captain Baker is the Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for a Fire Protection District in Placer County, CA.
What advice do you have for other firefighters?
“The oath of a public servant is an oath of dedication to a lifetime of customer service.”
If there’s ever doubt in a firefighter’s mind, Captain Baker encourages them to reflect on the moment they committed to serving their communities. “At the end of every call is an opportunity to positively engage members of our community,” he pointed out. “There is no greater reward than a lifetime of service.”
Captain Baker challenges all firefighters to find an inspiring mentor in the profession. This will allow them to develop into the firefighter and leader that he or she desires to become. “Accept constructive criticism in stride and strive to become a better person daily,” Captain Baker stated. “Respect their wisdom with grace and listen to their feedback with enthusiasm.”
This process pushes the entire fire service forward. Leaders lead by effectively developing future leaders from within their ranks. As for those leaders, Captain Baker urges them to seek those golden opportunities to inspire others to become public safety servants.
“The future of our profession requires all of us to actively engage these future members in a positive and meaningful way.”
What changes do you foresee in the fire service?
Increased emphasis on mentorship. Mentorship is vital to the future of the fire service. Everyone can positively benefit from having a mentor and this is the main factor that brings continuous improvement to our profession.
Captain Baker has immensely benefited from the sound guidance of his valued mentors throughout his career. Having someone to call and ask for help is extremely helpful, regardless of rank, title, or position.
“Mentorship transcends the firefighter classification and applies to all ranks in our profession.”
At the very core, Captain Baker is the product of his mentors. His successes are their successes, and his failures are their failures. Through each, he shares the burden of failure or the joy of success with his mentors.
“We honor our mentors when we return their investments to the future generations of the fire service. It’s what we do; we mentor each other.”
For the closing story, Captain Baker discussed an opportunity that he’ll cherish forever. Chris will take it from here…
Captain Baker with Chief Brunacini at the Firehouse Expo 2015 Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
“One of the most memorable volunteer experiences in my fire service career was when I was an Ambassador for the Firehouse Expo 2015 Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
“I had the opportunity to be a chauffeur for the 2015 Firehouse Hall of Fame inductee Chief Alan V. Brunacini, his family, and distinguished guests. Chief Brunacini is one of my valued mentors and he inspired me throughout my fire service career.
“When I first started in the fire service, I remember reading his book titled Essentials of Fire Department Customer Service from cover to cover. This was one of the first books I purchased and studied when I became a firefighter in 2006.
“You never know what to expect when you sign up to be a volunteer.”