(City of Phoenix)

Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner

Earlier this month, the city of Phoenix named its first-ever female fire chief. Kara Kalkbrenner has been with Phoenix Fire for nearly three decades.

She’s been acting chief since the end of February, when former chief Bob Khan retired to help care for his ill father.

We spoke with Kalkbrenner in her second floor office just east of Chase Field near downtown Phoenix.