Longtime Tucson firefighter Randy Ogden hung up his ax and helmet Wednesday, ending 33 years of service with the Tucson Fire Department.
The Arizona Daily Star caught up with Ogden, 58, before a retirement ceremony at Manning House to pick his brain about his time with TFD and his future as chief of the Mount Lemmon Fire District.
Q: You began your tenure with the Tucson Fire Department in 1977. What made you go into that line of work?
A: I just felt like I could make a difference. I went through Arizona's first paramedic class in 1973, and I worked for an ambulance company for a little bit, but decided the Tucson Fire Department was where I wanted to go.
Q: Most firefighters are men, but over the years an increasing number of women have joined the ranks. Do you think women are treated equally, or is that still a struggle?
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A: I've seen huge changes with that. I've worked with most of the women in the Tucson Fire Department, and I'd put my lives in the hands of all of them. Most of us feel that, if the recruits graduate from the fire academy, they're suitable for the job.
Q: Ever slide down the fire pole?
A: Daily. My first assignment was at Station 1, and you learn real fast not to slide down in PE shorts.
Q: Firehouses are notorious as being bastions of great food. What's your favorite on-the-job dish?
A: Tacos. We call them razor blades. They're real old-school tacos - they put the meat inside the shell and then fry them up, and we use homemade salsa.
Q: Rather than kick back and enjoy retirement, you're heading right back to work on July 11 as chief of the Mount Lemmon Fire District. What prompted that move?
A: It was all about timing. I was retiring and the chief they had was leaving, so I figured that'd be a real challenge, something I've never done before.
Q: Mount Lemmon has come under criticism for operating in the red the past three years. How do you plan to handle the district's recent financial woes?
A: Every fire department in the country is going through financial issues. Mount Lemmon is no different. People are scrutinizing every dollar. Everyone wants to raise revenue without raising taxes.
Bio
• Name: Randy Ogden
• Age: 58
• Years of service: 33
• Final rank: Assistant chief
• Career highlights: Spent three stints (spanning 20 years) as the Tucson Fire Department's public information officer; served as interim chief in 2008, bridging the gap between Dan Newburn and the hiring of the current fire chief, Patrick Kelly; spent last six years as an assistant chief, and was a battalion chief for 10 years before that.
Contact reporter Brian J. Pedersen at bjp@azstarnet.com or call 573-4224.
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