Levelland, Texas Fire Chief Recruitment
Recruiting Levelland’s Next Fire Chief
Episode Summary
Episode 16 of The Clear Voice features a PositionCast™ conversation focused on the Fire Chief recruitment for Levelland, Texas. This episode gives candidates a direct look at the community, the fire department, the city’s leadership culture, and the opportunity to lead a department with strong internal pride and strong community support.
In this conversation, James Groom is joined by Michael Boese, President of Clear Career Professionals, James Fisher, City Manager of Levelland, and Patty Faulkner, Interim Fire Chief. They discuss the department’s family culture, regional response role, council support, training focus, volunteer and career firefighter relationships, equipment needs, and the type of leader who can help take Levelland Fire Department to the next level.
This opportunity is especially relevant for fire service leaders, command staff, assistant chiefs, battalion chiefs, and public safety professionals who want to lead in a West Texas community where relationships, service, accountability, and community trust matter.
Why This Matters for Fire Chief Recruitment
The Fire Chief role in Levelland is a meaningful public safety leadership opportunity in a community that strongly supports its fire department. Levelland is located near Lubbock and serves as the county seat of Hockley County.
The city is preparing for important milestones, including its centennial celebration in 2026 and the fire department’s centennial in 2027. That timing creates an opportunity for the next Fire Chief to help honor the department’s history while guiding its future.
For candidates, this is not a role where they must rebuild a department from the ground up. The culture is already strong. The staff is motivated. The community is supportive. The next Fire Chief will have the opportunity to build on that foundation and help the department continue growing.
A West Texas Community with Strong Local Support
Levelland is described throughout the episode as a family oriented community with strong local pride and deep support for public safety. Patty Faulkner describes the city as a unicorn, a place where the community supports the fire department, the City Council supports the fire department, the City Manager supports the fire department, and the fire and police departments work well together.
City Manager James Fisher gives a clear example of that community spirit. After Levelland was hit by 130 mile per hour straight line winds in May 2024, more than 200 volunteers were standing outside the fire department by the next morning asking how they could help. The community ultimately contributed more than 3,000 volunteer hours.
That kind of support matters for the next Fire Chief. It shows that Levelland is a place where residents, businesses, elected officials, staff, and public safety partners rally together when the community needs them.
Fire Department Culture and Operations
Levelland Fire Department has a combination of paid staff and volunteers. The department has 10 full time staff members, three part time personnel, and room for 26 volunteers, with 16 active volunteers at the time of the conversation.
The department is averaging several hundred calls per year, with call volume expected to rise as inspections and other activities increase. Levelland is also the only paid fire department in Hockley County, giving it an important regional role across a large response area of roughly 900 square miles.
The department has 16 pieces of equipment and is also involved in specialized response, including rope rescue responsibilities for a large regional area. These operational realities make the Fire Chief role both local and regional in impact.
Regional Leadership and Mutual Aid
Because Levelland serves as the county seat and the only paid department in Hockley County, regional teamwork is a major part of the role. The department works with surrounding volunteer agencies and participates in regional training efforts.
James Fisher explains that neighboring agencies often respond to help Levelland, sometimes before they are even asked, because they understand the nature of the call and the needs of the region. Levelland also supports surrounding agencies when they need assistance.
The next Fire Chief will need to value those relationships. In West Texas, mutual aid, regional cooperation, training partnerships, and trust between departments are essential to public safety.
Training, Growth, and Department Development
Training is one of the strongest themes in the episode. Patty Faulkner describes a department where firefighters are actively pursuing additional training, including inspector school, plans examiner training, and wildland fire training.
The city has supported that development. When training opportunities arise, leadership is willing to consider not only whether one person should attend, but whether the opportunity could benefit several members of the department.
The department is also working to strengthen inspections and fire prevention activity. That shift creates an opportunity for the next Fire Chief to continue building a broader fire service model that includes response, prevention, inspection, training, and regional readiness.
Leadership Expectations for the Next Fire Chief
The next Fire Chief should not be a micromanager. Patty is clear that the department has capable people who think for themselves, discuss problems, and need a leader who will trust them while guiding the organization forward.
James Fisher adds that he expects department heads to lead, but also believes strongly in accountability. The next Fire Chief should empower the team, help the department improve, and contribute as a member of the city’s broader leadership team.
This role requires someone who sees beyond titles and departments. In a small city, leaders must be willing to help wherever needed, whether the issue belongs to fire, public works, police, water, or another department. The right leader will understand that everyone is working together to serve residents.
Equipment, Staffing, and Future Planning
The episode also discusses several practical challenges and opportunities. Levelland is considering how to address equipment needs, including future replacement of a ladder truck, and how to support the staffing levels needed for that type of operation.
The city has also applied for a SAFER grant to support additional staffing. If successful, that would help the department move toward stronger staffing levels on each shift. At the same time, James Fisher is clear that the city must think carefully about how to sustain positions after grant funding ends.
The next Fire Chief will need to help the city think strategically about staffing, equipment, grants, long term cost, service levels, and how to balance fire department needs with the needs of the entire city organization.
Council Support and City Leadership
Levelland’s City Council is described as thoughtful, engaged, and supportive. Patty Faulkner specifically notes how refreshing it was to see council members ask serious questions during budget meetings and visibly wrestle with how to balance department needs with available resources.
James Fisher describes the council as positive, progressive, solution oriented, and committed to moving the city forward. The council has adopted a vision for Levelland to become the preferred city in the South Plains, and city staff are working to align operations around that direction.
For candidates, this means the next Fire Chief will serve in an environment where public safety is valued, but where leaders are also expected to be practical, financially aware, and part of a larger city team.
Compensation, Cost of Living, and Candidate Fit
The posted starting salary was around $100,000, with flexibility for the right candidate. The episode also addresses a key issue from prior recruitment efforts, candidate expectations around compensation.
James Fisher is direct that Levelland is not the Metroplex, Austin, or Houston. West Texas salaries are different, but the cost of living is also different. The city is willing to have reasonable salary discussions, but candidates need to understand the market, the community, and the broader organization.
The city also strongly prefers that the Fire Chief live in Levelland or very close to the city. Because the Fire Chief is a key public safety leader, community presence and response availability matter.
Living and Working in Levelland, Texas
Levelland offers a small town feel with close access to Lubbock. Candidates can live in a family oriented West Texas community while still being near larger city amenities, culture, restaurants, and regional travel connections.
The community also offers affordable housing, the possibility of land, South Plains College, local events, and a strong sense of belonging. Patty emphasizes that people in Levelland do not treat newcomers like outsiders. They embrace them.
For candidates who want to be part of a community, not just employed by a city, Levelland offers a strong quality of life and a meaningful professional opportunity.
What Success Looks Like in the Role
Success in this role will mean helping Levelland Fire Department continue growing without damaging the family culture that already exists. The next Fire Chief should support training, develop people, strengthen prevention and inspections, maintain volunteer relationships, build regional partnerships, and help the department prepare for future staffing and equipment needs.
The right candidate will also contribute to the broader city organization. Levelland needs a Fire Chief who can lead inside the department, work well with police and public works, support the City Manager’s vision, and inspire others toward public service.
The best fit will be a servant leader, a practical problem solver, a mentor, and a team player who understands that small city leadership requires both technical expertise and a willingness to help wherever needed.
What Candidates Can Learn from This PositionCast™
This PositionCast™ gives candidates a clearer understanding of the Levelland Fire Chief opportunity than a job posting alone can provide. The episode explains the department culture, operational realities, regional role, council support, city leadership expectations, and the type of candidate who can succeed.
For fire service leaders considering a Texas Fire Chief recruitment opportunity, Levelland offers a chance to lead a department with strong internal pride, motivated employees, active volunteers, and a community that supports public safety.
The right candidate will find a department that is ready to grow, a city that values service, and a community where they can make an impact from day one.
More Information
For more information about the Fire Chief position in Levelland, Texas, including job details and application materials, visit the Career Opportunities section at Clear Career Professionals.
About The Clear Voice Podcast
The Clear Voice is a dedicated platform for transparency and expert led dialogue within the professional and public sectors. The show serves as a vital resource for leaders who want to move past surface level discussions and dive into the real world mechanics of governance, management, and organizational growth. James Groom is the host of the program. As the Vice President of Clear Career Professionals and a retired Police Chief, James brings a unique, high stakes perspective to every conversation. His background in public service and executive leadership allows him to extract practical, actionable insights from industry experts that help modern organizations function with total clarity.
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