Fire Chief Travis Brown to retire at the end of May

Feb. 28--LAS CRUCES -- Fire Chief Travis Brown still remembers where he came from and what it took to get him to this point in life.

Almost 27 years after joining the Las Cruces Fire Department, Brown will retire May 31. He has worked his way up the ranks, joining the department as a cadet in 1989 and becoming fire chief in May 2010.

"It is a lifetime passion," Brown said. "Some of that wasn't realized until I got here. The people I worked with, serving the community, and job satisfaction made me fall in love with this organization. Once I got here, it was beyond what I imagined."

Handy on his desk is a copy of the Las Cruces Fire Department's mission statement. Brown said he often reads it, and feels the obligation to help others.

"How can I expect anyone else our department, in our community to respect that mission statement if I don't adhere to what it stands for," Brown said. "...Our mission says we're going to provide the highest level of professional services. Our department is committed to safely provide customer service, fire protection and education while maintaining the highest regard for our community and department."

In boxes close by are hand-written journals that chronicle periods of the fire department from its inception in 1907.

"There are similarities," said Brown, comparing the city's fire department of yesteryear to today. "They were doing what they believed in then, just as we do now."

There have been numerous achievements gained by the fire department while Brown has been chief. Perhaps most noteworthy is the city's Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) Public Protection Classification rating of 1, the best rating available. Las Cruces is one of only 97 communities across the U.S. to have that rating, which means fire insurance rates in the city are low because ISO deems fire protection in the city to be strong.

"Chief Brown exemplifies the city's values that includes quality of service, recognizing residents as customers, demonstrating accountability, treating residents and employees fairly and equitably, and showing excellence and pride in his work," City Manager Robert Garza said. "(Brown) embodies honesty and integrity, and strives for continuous improvements in all areas of service.

"The service, job knowledge, and professionalism Travis provides to our community has been exceptional."

Louis Roman, who served as Las Cruces' fire chief from 1994 until 2001, and then as the city's public services director until early 2004, said Brown stands out as a professional and as a person.

"Having met hundreds of firefighters, I'd put him right at the top of all those individuals," said Roman, who is now a deacon at St. Genevieve Catholic Church. "His qualities, dedication, his commitment and interest are outstanding. He has this really strong work ethic and he is always looking to expand his knowledge. It really showed in the time I worked with him.

"...I do admire him. He just doesn't excel in his career, he has always had the ability to balance his family, his personal life and his career."

Brown was quick to credit his parents and grandparents for instilling those traits. Brown grew up on a farm just north of Las Cruces, and said it was his elders, as role models, who strongly influenced him.

"The lessons they taught me have remained important to me," Brown said. "I hope I have done well and made them proud."

Brown also heaped praise on the Las Cruces Fire Department's 134 members for accomplishments and inroads the department has made.

"It's definitely not just me and what I've done," he said. "It's because of everyone's collective efforts and their professionalism."

Las Crucen Joanie Castillo said she is impressed with the professionalism and compassion shown by the fire department during Brown's time as chief. Her family experienced that several times.

"There was a fire at my parents' house in 2011," Castillo said. "Because of the fire department's quick response, it didn't turn out to be a really big deal. But it could have. My parents are elderly; less than a year later, my father caught the flu and had trouble breathing one night. We were pretty worried, pretty upset. Again, they showed up pretty quick and got him stabilized until the ambulance came. But they calmed my mom and the rest of us down. We didn't know what to expect, what was going to happen. They didn't treat it like it was just another call, another job to them. They were so reassuring, we really appreciated that."

Two incidents during Brown's career are the most memorable. In the early 1990s, Brown was among a large number of city firefighters who battled a particularly nasty fire that completely destroyed the former Las Cruces Public Schools administration building, at the intersection of Alameda Boulevard and Amador Avenue. It was an aging building that turned out to be the toughest fire Brown had to battle.

"There were multiple false ceilings in that building and wood floors," Brown said. "Some of the (firefighting) crews got pushed out of the building because the heat was so strong. It was later determined the fire had been intentionally set."

Brown also recalled Feb. 10, 1990, the day seven people were shot, and four killed, and a fire set at the former Las Cruces Bowl, on Amador Avenue. Brown didn't work that day, but is still a bit haunted by what happened.

"It happened at a time that would have been during my shift," Brown said. "If I had been working I would have responded too."

But Brown's body language and the tone of his voice indicated it would have been hard on him.

Except for a vow to spend more time with his family, Brown's retirement plans are open ended.

"I'm definitely going to miss being Fire Chief Travis Brown," he said. "But at the same time, I look forward to just being 'Travis.' ...I've spent over half of my life in this department, and I'm very blessed to have had the opportunity to be here with these incredibly amazing people.

"I'm going to stay busy; exactly what I'm going to be doing is the unknown. But I'm a firm believer that we're all capable of doing more."

Steve Ramirez can be reached at 575-541-5452, [email protected], or @SteveRamirez6 on Twitter.

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