Cassidy Diaz
Assistant Editor
The La Verne Fire Department has a new chief. Brandon Coatney, a seasoned fire fighter of 30 years, took the helm on Jan. 8.
Coatney had been the department’s deputy chief for four years prior to taking the top job here. And he served the city of San Bernardino for 18 years previously, where he climbing the ranks from paramedic to engineer to fire captain. He also served as a captain and battalion chief in Fullerton.
Coatney, who grew up in Rialto, said he began to consider a career in fire fighting after a high school career day. Seeing the fire engine and speaking with Rialto fire fighters piqued his interest, he said.
“One of the biggest things when I looked at careers is I always liked having complex problems to work on where you work in a team,” Coatney said. “I think that’s what drew me to the fire services.”
As a teen growing up in Rialto, he got involved with the Fire Explorer program, which gives young people early training in what’s involved in fire fighting, starting at age 15.
He always knew he wanted a hands-on career, he said.
“I really liked working with my hands and for all intents and purposes, that was kind of what I wanted to do was be a mechanic or drive or operate heavy equipment,” Coatney said.
After enrolling in Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, he entered into the fire academy where he took fire and EMT classes. Shortly after Coatney went to work for a private ambulance company and later got hired as an apprentice firefighter in the city of Brea.
Coatney said his career choices have been guided by his commitment to his family.
“My number one thing is that I make them proud,” he said. “The things that I do, it takes a special family to do this job because of the amount of time that you spend away.”
Coatney, who has been married for 27 years, has two adult children, who have followed his lead. His daughter is an ICU nurse and his son is a firefighter and paramedic.
“We’re all really close and their successes, I mean, overshadow me,” Coatney said. “Becoming the fire chief here was a big thing, but I’m still more proud of the accomplishments of my family than for me.”
Coatney worked closely with former La Verne Fire Chief Chris Nigg, with whom he’d previously worked at the Fullerton Fire Department.
“I was so proud of all the work he had done here, and when the (deputy) spot opened up, I was like man that’d be really cool to come and work with someone I’ve grown up with in the fire department,” Coatney said.
“One of the other things that drew me here is quite frankly my son works here as an ambulance operator here and it was an opportunity for me to work with him for my last few years,” Coatney said.
Taking on this new leadership role Coatney shared the excitement he has for leading the fire department alongside everyone who works there.
“He blends well the idea of managing the business of the fire department( while) also still being a firefighter,” said Jennifer Brown, the La Verne Fire Department’s senior management analyst. “It’s great because he has a lot of knowledge in both of those worlds.”
Brown reports directly to Coatney and handles the department’s budgets and training services.
“He makes sure that we manage our time well but still have that work-life balance, which is nice,” Brown said.
“He’s well-versed, he’s educated, he knows what he’s talking about and is very supportive of the different departments,” said Fire Marshal Fred St. Ange. “A leader like him, you see him supporting the entire city Fire Department, along with the city … It’s pretty awesome.”
Coatney, who has a few years left before retiring, said he hopes to leave the Department better than he found it.
“This place was already in a great position,” Coatney said. “No matter what challenges we face (the hope) is that we come out of the other side in the best way possible,” Coatney said.
Cassidy Diaz can be reached at cassidy.diazgomez@laverne.edu.
Cassidy Diaz is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. She is also news editor for the Campus Times, and previously served as an assistant editor and a staff writer.
Ronald Banks is a senior photography major and a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
